The Alternate Outcome
by TheZettaFactor
Summary: If Hilda only met N once, she would have never became the Hero of Truth. N would defeat the Pokemon League with no disturbances and Team Plasma would prevail. Pokemon liberation would be carried out throughout Unova, but knowing Team Plasma, there's something more to it.
1. Unforeseen

**Chapter 1 : Unforseen**

* * *

"And so, it is now illegal for pokemon to be owned by trainers. If you would all please deposit your pokemon here, we will liberate them," a plasma grunt announced.

There were worried and outraged cries from the crowd.

I looked around nervously, then at my palm holding my pokeballs. _'We were almost at the champion... And now...' _

Team Plasma; they were thought to be a harmless group, peacefully protesting for pokemon liberation. I somewhat understood their position, but not all trainers were bad trainers. But all of the sudden, they got aggressive.

I had decided to visit my home before challenging the champion. However, as soon as I stepped foot in my house, Team Plasma members ran in from Route 1 and flooded our town. Everyone was ushered to the center of the town. In the chaos, I was separated from my mother.

The crowd was now in utter pandemonium. Crying and screaming filled the air. I was being pushed and shoved from all sides.

_'One, two, three, four, five...' _I counted, sighing with relief as I hid the pokeballs in my bag. I looked around hastily. _'I have to get out of_ _here...' _

Nuvema Town was my home, so I felt guilty leaving everyone there. I could probably take all of the plasma grunts on, but that would only get them to call in more, and we would be in an even worse situation. Since the pokemon lab was situated here and it was one of the smaller towns, Team Plasma obviously planned the start of their liberation here.

I started to shove my way through the crowd heading towards the side. _'Of course I had to be in the middle of this...' _I sighed.

I heard more worried screams, mostly screaming in protest.

"QUIET!" the earlier grunt shrilled.

The crowd settled down and looked towards the makeshift stage. I turned around, not wanting to arouse suspicion.

"Our Lord N has befriended the legendary Zekrom," the grunt preached.

There were now hushed voices in the crowd gossiping about Zekrom and the supposed "Lord N." The grunt ignored it.

_'Wait a second...' _I contemplated. _'Lord N..? Don't tell me... Is it that boy from Accumula Town? I hadn't seen him since.' _I shook my head. _'It couldn't be.'_

"And he has beaten the Pokemon league," the grunt continued.

There were a few gasps, and now the atmosphere was tense.

_'It looks like I've been beat,' _I teased to myself, allowing myself to grin faintly.

"Team Plasma will officially be taking over Unova within the near future, and if any of you have a problem with it," the grunt warned, "you may confront our Lord N and the almighty Zekrom about it."

Glares.

"That is, if you dare go against the ideals of a legendary pokemon."

Silence.

"Now, your pokeballs. Don't let us use force."

People looked at each other, as if asking what each other what to do.

"How do we know you aren't lying?!" an angry voice called out.

"YEAH!"

A myriad of chants started erupting, and I planned my escape route again. Within a few seconds, I made my way out of the crowd and almost tripped from the force I used to escape.

_'I could run into Route 1, but...' _I shook my head. _'It'll be impossible to see in the night without a light of some sort... That'll catch attention. Plus, I have to see this.'_

Realizing I was standing in the clear, I ran towards some trees that led to a forest that no one dared to explore. I hid behind the closest tree and peeked my head out.

I escaped just in time, too; the crowd had gone into utter pandemonium. The riot was getting so uncontrollable that Team Plasma members started to encircle the crowd as a whole.

_'Dang... Everyone in town must be here,' _I thought worriedly. I shook my head. _'I have to take advantage of this moment.' _I knew what I had to do. I could win against a few dozen grunts, but not a whole organization. And if this Zekrom thing was true, I would definitely lose. I took the five pokeballs out of my bag and clutched them tightly. "I'm sorry," I whispered before summoning all of my pokemon from their pokeballs.

They looked around, clearly befuddled, except for Emboar, who shot me a suspicious glare. He stepped up to me, as if knowing something was wrong, but I shook my head and put my hand up to halt him.

"Shh," I hushed them, catching their attention. "We don't want to attract any attention here," I warned.

"Swaa?" Swanna asked, peeking her head to the right. It appeared she caught sight of the crowd of unhappy people.

"You all remember Team Plasma... We battled them a few times," I started.

Emboar nodded nonchalantly while Simisage and Stoutland looked at me with curious eyes.

"Well..." I started, but decided to skip the small details. "We don't have much time... This is goodbye."

They all started exclaimed in protest.

"Shh!" I hushed vigorously.

They shrunk back. Simisage came up to me, but I put up a hand to stop him, much to his astonishment.

"Team Plasma is demanding that we hand in all of our pokemon so that they could liberate them, but..." I paused and shook my head. "I don't believe them. I believe we can beat them, but only for so long... Get out of here while you can," I demanded in a faint tone.

They all objected again. Simisage and Stoutland vigorously shook their heads, while Swanna let out little desperate caws. Boldore extended one of his feet, but Emboar just stared at me. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"You have to," I snapped.

Their faces went distraught.

I felt my face soften. "I'll miss you all too," I claimed. "But if you stay with me, Team Plasma might get their hands on you," I added. I couldn't stand the pain just from looking at them anymore. I looked to the side. "Besides, I had no right to take you from your homes, so-"

Simisage used cut.

I hissed lowly and looked at Simisage. Cut was a very weak move, so he obviously didn't have any intent to hurt me. He seemed angry and sad, but worst of all, disappointed. The rest of my pokemon gave me hard stares. It was as if they were saying _I _was their home. They all inched towards me.

"No," I commanded.

They ignored me and brushed up against me. I looked down at their pleading faces and gave in.

"So... You want to stay with me," I confirmed out loud. I felt a gradual happiness, but my face would not show it. I was smiling, but it was a faint and worried smile.

They nodded in response. I was sure that under different circumstances, they would've started screeching at me for even considering such a thing.

I knelt down and brought them into a hug. Suddenly, I heard a scream. _'Oh no!' _I thought as I jostled my bag for their pokeballs. "Return," I commanded before even giving them a second to respond.

I stood up and hid behind the tree again, my back itchy from standing against the bark. I peeked my head to the side. The crowd was looking up at the makeshift stage with worried eyes.

I looked down at the five pokeballs in my palm. _'I promise...' _I concluded, and went to put them into my bag. _'Wait a second,'_ I thought as I halted my hand. I shook my head. _'If I'm caught, that's the first place they'll look.'_

I ruminated on possible places to put the pokeballs. I reluctantly stuffed them into my shirt against my back. When I leaned against the tree again, my back was unpleasantly bumpy. _'Hopefully with my black vest and the darkness of the night, they won't notice.' _I quickly checked my bag again, eased of my tension when I saw six empty pokeballs. _'These will have to suffice.'_

I peeked my head from behind the tree again. The crowd was now dead silent, with not one person speaking up. The Team Plasma grunt that was speaking smirked at this.

"Now that you are all civilized," he taunted, "I assure you that our Lord N did indeed befriend Zekrom and beat the Pokemon League single-handedly."

I heard gasps and saw astonished faces. _'He said this already... No one should be this surprised.' _I pursed my lips. _'What's going on?'_

I felt the ground shake with a thud, almost knocking me over. The pokeballs slid down my back a little, until I leaned against the tree again.

I heard hushed tones of "it's true," "no way," and other expressions of defeat.

_'What's going on?' _I thought again, trying to peer my head a little more and try to see what was happening.

"Please, people... Please, we can settle this in a calm matter," a genial and gentle voice said.

_'He sounds familiar...'_ I thought.

"Please understand; Pokemon should be free. They shouldn't be captivated..." the voice continued.

I clenched my teeth in anxiousness.

"Oh yeah?! Then why do all of your henchmen have them? And why do _you _have a legendary pokemon in your captivity?!" a brave voice retorted.

"Hush!" the earlier grunt commanded.

"No, it's okay... I'll answer any questions," the voice intervened.

_'Who's speaking?!' _I thought angrily as I tried to change my angle. I already knew, but I wanted to confirm it. It just seemed so unlikely that someone who causally passed me on the street could accomplish _this_.

"I did not capture Zekrom... It willingly befriended me," the voice explained.

_'Befriended?' _I wondered. _'A legendary pokemon..? So is it true?'_

"If it hadn't, do you really think I'd have the power to keep him in my captivity?" the voice reasoned.

This resulted in people murmur to each other.

"As for the members of Team Plasma," the voice continued. "We just want to make sure all pokemon are fairly liberated, and though I don't like this... If anyone refuses, we have to use force. I hate battles, but it's for the greater good..."

The murmuring stopped.

"You heard him! Now, hand us your pokemon!" the grunt reasoned.

"Allow me," the voice said, and I heard footsteps echo.

_'This is him...'_ I thought anxiously, trying to see his face.

I waited attentively, suspecting that the leader was showing himself to the crowd. My conclusion was right. It was him. I couldn't think of who else it could be. Pokemon Liberation? His one-letter name? Life wasn't this coincidental.

I met him when I first started my journey; my only two pokemon were Emboar and Stoutland, who were only Tepig and Lilipup at the time. He had requested a battle, and claimed he could hear pokemon voices.

"Please, understand..." N spoke. "Pokemon are my friends... I only want to see them stop suffering."

The people looked at each other again, some with faces of understanding, some with remorse.

N held out his hands.

The crowd, knowing that they wouldn't win, reluctantly took pokeballs from their pockets. Whether they believed N's words or just succumbed, they complied. I heard people whispering to their pokeballs, perhaps saying goodbye. I saw rebellion in some of their eyes, but none of them were trainers. In fact, Bianca, Cheren, and I were the only actual trainers from this town. Everyone else had pokemon around for either work or purely for companionship.

The first to give N a pokeball was a little girl. She held out her hand and N knelt down to take the ball from her.

"Purrloin will be happy now, right?" she asked nervously.

"...Yes," N confirmed with a smile.

The little girl beamed.

_'Time to get out of here,' _I decided remorsefully. I turned around but bumped into something. "Oof!" I cried as I fell to the floor. "Ahh," I hissed as I rubbed my head.

A Team Plasma member was looking down at me and held out his hand. "Your Pokemon."

"I-I don't have any," I tried to say casually, but failed to. The smile I was trying to shoot him with failed too, and probably seemed like some sort of distorted grimace.

He looked at me skeptically. I heard footsteps behind me. I looked left and right. Two more Team Plasma members had come to my sides, and started cornering me to the tree I was hiding behind.

"You can't fool us," he spat.

_'Dang... How am I going to pull this off?' _I thought anxiously. _'That's it!' _I thought happily, as I remembered training Stoutland. As a Lilipup, he knew sand-attack, and often missed and hit me in the eyes instead. After a while, I gained "immunity," which made Lilipup think that his attack was getting weaker. From that, I learned how to tear on demand, just to make him feel good. But now...

I felt hot tears go down my cheek. _'Success!' _I cheered in my head. "Please, no..." I begged feebly and clutched my bag, hoping that my performance was believable enough. Remembering that people were next to me, I backed into the tree, hoping that they wouldn't notice the pokeballs bulging from my back.

The Plasma grunts gradually closed in on me.

_'HA! Is this actually working?!' _I thought, fighting the urge to laugh. I shook my head, though not for the reasons the grunts thought. _'Do I have an opening? I need to make a run for it.' _I looked from one member to the next. _'No... I guess I'm just going to have to wing it.'_

"Noooo!" I screamed as I ran past the member in front of me.

He had fast reflexes, as he pulled my bag off of my shoulder. The force he used made me make somewhat of a U-Turn. The empty pokeballs fell from my bag. I mentally counted the bumps on my back, relieved when all five were still in place.

He knelt to pick them up, while the two other grunts ran to me to try and reprimand me. I ran the other direction and looked back. They were chasing after me, until the first grunt huffed a "no."

I curiously watched them as I ran further into the uncharted forest.

"We have what we need," I thought I heard him say, as the two grunts returned to his side.

I snapped my head forward and ran faster. _'I need to get out of here before they notice it's empty... I could win against three in a battle, but a legendary?' _I shook my head and bursted with a booming laughter, not even caring if anyone could hear me anymore. _'I can't they fell for that!'_

* * *

After I was sure I was long out of sight, I slumped by a tree, panting. I reached my hand behind my back and pulled out the pokeballs.

"One, two, three, four, five..." I counted. "Come on out!"

With a flash of red light, all of my Pokemon came out. They all looked at me happily. Simisage jumped into my lap while Swanna and Stoutland brushed up against me. Emboar and Boldore crept up behind them; they weren't as affectionate. I wrapped my arms around Swanna and Stoutland.

"I wonder how Mom and Professor Juniper are..." I wondered out loud. I looked up at the sky. It was still relatively dark. I yawned. "Anyway, I'm glad you all decided to stay with me."

Swanna let out an affectionate caw.

"Did you guys overhear what happened in your pokeballs?" I asked.

They all nodded in response.

I nodded back, unsure of what to say. "But the thing is... I don't know what to do now," I confessed.

Emboar looked at me curiously.

"I'm pretty sure that I'll be punished for having pokemon," I explained. "Not that you can't take them, but... I'm sorry to say, but we're not strong enough to fight a legendary pokemon yet."

Stoutland nudged me.

"Yeah... I should go check on mom..." I said standing up and stretched. "I don't know if that whole fiasco is over yet, but... I'm sure I could slip in. After all, they probably couldn't see my face clearly." I held up my pokeballs. "Just know that if we don't see each other again... I tried the best I could," I said as I called them back, not giving them the time to respond. _'But that'll never happen... I'll have to be imprisoned before I let you all down.'_

I decided to kill time by looking at the constellations. Being as dense as I was, I had no creativity and saw nothing. Although, the stars and the moon alone were quite a sight.

After a while, I walked through the barren forest. With the night sky, it was surprisingly serene. But since there really was no path and just a bunch of trees, no one really came here. There were no pokemon either. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

I contemplated waiting until morning when the catastrophe was definitely over, but I was too worried about Mom and Professor Juniper.

I didn't know how long it took me to get back to town, but being drowned in my thoughts, it felt like seconds. As I peeked through the trees, I saw that most of the people were still there, but there were no Team Plasma members.

I slouched and made a bee line for the crowd, acting as if I had just been a victim. I looked around me hastily. "Mom?!" I wasn't sure if she was here or went home by now, but it wouldn't hurt searching.

"OH, HILDAA!" I heard a high cry behind me.

Before I could even turn around, I felt someone hug me from behind me. In shock, I tried to shake them off, but she was persistent. I turned my head.

"Bianca?!" I asked, surprised. "I thought you were at Route 10 looking for Braviary!"

She shook her head depressingly and let go. "Professor Juniper needed a quick errand first. I came back, but-"

"It seems all three of us were in this predicament," a voice said from behind me.

I turned around. "Cheren? You too?" I asked anxiously. "Weren't you at Victory Road?" I continued, surprise surfacing in my voice.

He looked away and adjusted his glasses. "I decided to visit my mother first, as you told me you would... But when I didn't see you in the crowd, I was so sure that you got away," he explained. I heard a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"Where were you?!" Bianca demanded. "We were fighting them... And... And..!"

"What she means is," Cheren cut in. "After the first pokeball was handed in, we were asked by surrounding members to hand ours in. Bianca and I fought them and won, but then that N guy came in with his Zekrom..." he unwillingly admitted. Cheren wasn't a guy who liked to admit defeat.

"N... Who would've known?" I wondered.

Cheren bowed his head for a second, showing his concurrent thought.

"You could've helped us..! You could've... You could've..." Bianca struggled. It was clear that she wasn't spiteful towards me in any way, but just distraught over her loss.

"I'm sorry, but can we discuss this later? Let's warn Accumula Town and-"

Cheren shook his head. "Look around you, Hilda."

I complied. I was surprised to see Team Plasma members blocking Route 1. I hadn't seen them from my angle earlier.

"You didn't notice?" he asked with disbelief. "They don't want anyone interfering with their plans." Cheren stared me down.

"They're also stationed around our houses... Not anyone else's, just ours!" Bianca added with a pout.

I nodded with understanding. _'After all, the three of us are the only prevailing trainers here...'_

"The Pokemon Lab, too... Professor Juniper is under house arrest," she added.

The news surprised me, but I decided to change the topic. "So why is everyone still here?" I asked.

Cheren looked at me skeptically. I shot him back a glare.

"Because the announcements aren't over..." Bianca said unwillingly. "They just wanted to escort that Plasma guy out."

"So they're heading for Accumula Town _now?_" I asked.

She shook her head. "In a week..." She didn't even acknowledge how ignorant I was of the situation. "Some grunts claimed that there are still pokemon, and they want to settle that first."

"...Is that so?" I asked, trying to give her a hint.

"Mhm..." she nodded in a melancholic fashion.

Cheren took a quick glance at Bianca, then the forest. "Hilda, what's that over there?" Cheren interrupted.

"What?" I asked, turning in the direction he was pointing.

"There!" he pressed as he took my arm and pulled me.

"H-Huh?" I asked, confused, but went along anyway. Then it snapped. _'Cheren got the hint.'_

"H-Hey! Wait up you guys!" Bianca called out nervously from behind us.

"Woah, Cheren, what's gotten into you?" I asked to lull suspicion from peeping ears as he pulled me into the forest.

"I-I don't think we should be here!" Bianca suggested as she nervously followed. "No one ever goes into the forest!"

Once we were a few feet into the trees, Cheren let go and gave me a stern look. "Well then?"

I smirked and pulled out the five pokeballs from my bag.

"W-Woah Hil-!" Bianca exclaimed, but stopped when Cheren covered her mouth.

"When I overheard some grunts saying a trainer gave them empty pokeballs..." Cheren explained. "And that she escaped..."

Bianca's eyes widened.

Cheren smiled confidently. "I knew it was you," he said as he slowly lifted a pokeball from his pocket.

"Y-You too?" Bianca asked.

"Indeed," he responded as he fixed his glasses again. "I had actually caught a Mincinno on my way back here from Route 1. Having 6 pokemon in my party already, the seventh pokeball was locked."

"Ooh!" Bianca mused.

"Tch, sneaky there," I complimented.

"Hmph," he responded smugly. "So then of course Team Plasma would only take 6 pokeballs. The Mincinno may be low leveled, but..."

"Yeah," Bianca chimed in. "I don't trust these guys! They seem to be doing the right thing, but... It's good that you have a pokemon with you, just in case."

"We'll need a fighting chance," I added in. "In case they try anything sketchy."

"Mhm!" she smiled and let out a muffled giggle, and reached into her hat and took out a pokeball.

I felt my face go into surprise for a second, and saw Cheren's do the same from the corner of my eye, before putting on a teasing smirk. "Well, this is climactic," I teased. "Rebelling against the public, Bianca?"

Cheren seemed amused. "Do tell, Bianca."

"I had actually told Musharna to release dream mist," she informed confidently.

"Wait a second..." Cheren retorted. "I don't remember you telling it to use dream mist," he accused, clearly irked that he didn't notice that she had.

"Do you remember when your Gigalith used earthquake and everyone got all surprised?"

A stern nod from Cheren.

"Well, I saw that Musharna was going to faint, so in the confusion, I told her to use dream mist!" she replied cheerily. "And after the next attack, she fainted. Well, you thought she fainted, but really, she flew off."

"Intriguing..." Cheren commented. "And I suppose you had her return once all of the grunts left and the people were still in disorder?"

"Mhm!"

"Hilda," Cheren started, turning to me. "Bianca and I don't have much of a starting point here, but..." Cheren contemplated to himself. "We'll be counting on you if something goes amiss."

"You can lean on me," I assured him.

Bianca smiled brightly while Cheren smirked smugly.

"Well, well," I said mockingly. "It looks like if Team Plasma does a wrong move, they'll be in for it."

"Team Plasma's up to no good, I can feel it!" she exclaimed in a hushed tone.

"And we'll be there to stop them," Cheren added in. "But first, we better get back into town. With your long absence, they might suspect you're the one who has pokemon." He tucked his pokeball back in his pocket. "That'll be problematic.

"Right," I nodded. I followed in Cheren's example, and taking Bianca's idea, I stuffed my pokeballs in my hat.

The three of us proceeded back to town, making sure not to be caught by Team Plasma guards coming from the forest's direction.

"Tomorrow, same place..." Cheren whispered to us before we disbanded.

Bianca and I nodded, before going our separate ways. I had to look for my mom, and I was sure that Cheren and Bianca wanted to make sure that their own respective families were alright.

After a few failed attempts to find her, I stood at one end of the crowd, waiting patiently. I tuned out the conversations going around me. _'I hope Mom is okay...' _I pondered.

Within a few minutes, Team Plasma grunts marched back onto the makeshift stage in two lines from opposite sides. This sight caused the chatter in the crowd to die down.

The grunt who was speaking earlier ascended to the middle. "Now we assure you, we mean no harm, but this must be done," he reasoned.

I looked around me. Some people looked like they wanted to talk back, but knew it was best not to. Others actually started to believe him, despite what just happened.

"Team Plasma's goal is to liberate pokemon, and we're glad that most of you acceded. Now that our Lord N will soon take over Unova, we are passing new laws to be cautious of traitors. The last thing we want is for pokemon to keep suffering." He stepped down and walked out of sight.

Another grunt replaced his position. "Starting when our problem is resolved, Route 1 to Accumula Town will be opened. You are not to interact with pokemon unless they approach you," she explained. "In addition," she continued, "there will now be random checkups for strange behavior. From route to route, you will be checked. We assure you, this is in everyone's best interest."

A few people nodded.

_'What the heck... Are they agreeing?' _I wondered, cringing at their reactions. _'Don't they see that they're being oppressed?'_

The grunt cleared her throat. "There will be more news in the near future, once our Lord N has finished his goals of peace. That will be all. Plasmaa!"

"PLASMAA!" the rest of the grunts followed.

I flinched back in surprise, as did a handful of other people. In addition, what shocked me was that some people in the crowd actually followed the salute.

_'Just what happened when I was gone..?'_ I wondered. I then remember everyone calming down a little once N appeared. _'He must've convinced them... He's probably a good public speaker... I wonder what he said back there.'_

The plasma grunts lined up and marched off of the stage, taking their flags and spotlights with them.

The crowd started disbanding too, but erupted with conversation. I weaved my way through and headed for my house. Just as Bianca said, there were two grunts standing outside of my door. I walked up to them and glowered at them. They shot me back the same expression, but eventually lifted their heads up and started to ignore me.

"Tch," I spat, and walked into my house. "Mom..?" I called out doubtfully. "Are you here? Are you okay?"

"Oh, Hilda, dear!" a worried voice called from the kitchen area.

I turned around and she pulled me into a tight hug. "Oh, thank goodness... You're alright."

"No, not me, dear!" she objected. "Your pokemon! They took them, didn't they?!"

I opened my mouth to tell her otherwise, but then remembered that there were grunts outside. "Yes... They're gone," I said grimly. _'Sorry Mom, but I can't tell you... Not here...'_

"Oh, that's horrible!" she shrieked. "But... You're okay, right dear?"

"I'm all good, Mom," I assured her.

She let go of me. "I was hoping you weren't here," she trailed off.

"But I wanted to visit you," I said. "Before I battled the champion."

She gave a wry smile and walked back to the kitchen area. "...You must be hungry," she said faintly. She probably thought that it was her fault that my pokemon were taken. However, pointing that out and denying it wouldn't help her in any way. She was probably shaken up about losing her patrat that I caught for her to keep her company.

"I'm alright," I said, not wanting to impose on her.

Suddenly, the door slammed open. My mom and I shot our heads back and saw five Team Plasma grunts, ushering in the clearly uncomfortable Cheren and Bianca.

"What's the meaning of this?" my mom demanded. Her voice shook faintly.

"You are to come with us," one of the grunts replied.

I tensed up. "What business does she have with you?" I enforced.

"Let's go," he said, ignoring my question. On command, two grunts came and took my mother by her sides. They didn't brutally force her, but they guided her out, which I saw as aggressive enough.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" I protested. I stepped forward to stop them, but Cheren's hand appeared in front of my face. When I turned to look at him, confusion clearly on my face, he scarcely shook his head. "But-" I tried to object, but my door closed, making my attention go back to the latter. "What was that for?!" I demanded. I stomped to my door to go after them, but Bianca's voice stopped me.

"Wait!" she pleaded.

I stopped in my tracks and looked back at her with expectance.

"I assure you, your mother is in no harm. It's most likely that they only kicked her out of the house and no more," Cheren replied.

"What do you-"

"They want us all together," Cheren answered, cutting me off.

I relaxed my stance, but still looked at Cheren anticipation.

"They came into my house with Bianca and coerced me out," Cheren explained. "When I asked what I was going on, a grunt had told me that as the only three trainers from this town, we were to be together, so that surveillance would be more convenient."

"So they're isolating us," I concluded with a huff.

"It would seem so," Cheren confirmed. He then switched his mood to one of inquiry. "But this works out well for us."

"B-But how, Cheren?" Bianca asked nervously.

Cheren lowered his pocket flap to indicate his pokeball. He then glared at the door, indicating the grunts guarding outside. "This way, our families aren't concerned."

"B-But my family!" Bianca stuttered. "What if something happens to them?"

Cheren and I shot her inefficient looks, much to her confusion.

"Let's just... Call it a night," Cheren suggested, as he went upstairs. Midway up the staircase, he paused. "I apologize. May I?"

I nodded and made my way to the stairs. Bianca timidly followed. The only sound within the moment was our feet creaking against the wooden staircase.

As soon as Cheren reached my room, he walked over to my bed and sat down, bouncing a little upon impact. I stepped to the side to allow Bianca to come up first. She walked over and sat next to Cheren, placing her hands in her lap. I walked to the opposite wall and leaned up against it.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Th-The what?" Bianca asked nervously.

"Well, we won't take any action until they do... We have to confirm our suspicions first," Cheren answered, ignoring Bianca. "In the mean time, I need to train Mincinno. Bianca," Cheren called out.

"H-Huh?" she asked, startled that he said her name.

"Would you mind assisting me in Mincinno's training?"

"Me?" Bianca asked, dumbfounded. She then put on a spectacular grin. "Of course!" she beamed.

"But sadly, you won't be able to participate in this, Hilda," Cheren added coldly. "The training, that is."

"Huh? Why?" I asked.

"It would be suspicious for all three of us to go missing at once," Cheren explained.

I nodded in understanding.

"Plus, my Mincinno's the priority of any training whatsoever."

"A-And I can use the practice too!" Bianca added in. "I refuse to let down my pokemon again!"

"Got it," I replied.

"In the mean time, we might as well get familiar with your room, Hilda," Cheren brought up. "I have a suspicion that we'll be here for a while."

Bianca bowed her head.

"Roam free, my friends," I said sarcastically while opening my arms wide. I was relieved when I saw Bianca try to restrain a giggle. _'At least I was lifting her mood, if even a little.'_

Cheren nodded and stood up. "Now, for the sleeping arrangements. I think it's in everyone's best interest that Bianca gets the bed."

"N-No!" Bianca interjected. "I wouldn't want to impose like that..." she replied timidly. "And I'm alright with anything. Really!" She shook her head. "It's your room, Hilda!"

"No, it's fine," I said. "Ever since I moved out, my Mom got the top floor. I bunk on the couch downstairs now," I explained. "Well, when I visit, but you get the point."

"That's not a wise idea," Cheren intervened. "I think it's best that we're all together. Again, Team Plasma hasn't done anything bad, but you can't be _too_ sure."

"I suppose..." I replied. "But are we maybe thinking a little _too _much of this?"

"You can never be too sure!" Bianca pressed. "I don't think they really did anything to my family, but they separated us... I don't know what I would do if I was separated from my best friends too!"

"Oh please," I replied. "You can still see them. You just can't sleep there, or something..."

Cheren shook his head. "We're allowed no contact, though I don't know _why_..."

I glared at Cheren. "That's news to me," I said coldly.

He shrugged coldly. "Anyway, I'm quite weary. So where do we sleep?"

I made my way to the closet. "I have some blankets and pillows in my closet."

"I suppose they'll make do," Cheren commented as he took off his jacket.

I pulled out some pillows and tossed it to him. He took his pokeball out of his jacket pocket and stuffed it in the pillow. Bianca seemed awed at the idea, and took off her hat. She too put her pokeball in her pillow.

"Just in case," he explained.

I tossed Cheren a blanket, which he shook and then spread out by the stairs.

I shook my own blanket and laid it out next to the closet. Dropping the pillow, I took my five pokeballs out of my hat. I considered putting them in the pillow too. _'No, all five wouldn't fit.'_

"Under the bed," Cheren suggested as if he read my mind. "That way it's within your reach but out of their sight."

"Thanks," I muttered and did as I was told. I stretched and yawned. "Good night."

"Good night... And thanks again, Hilda... But really, I can sleep on the floor."

"No, it's okay," I assured her.

"I'm grateful for your hospitality as well," Cheren clarified as he walked over to the light switch.

"Not that any of us had a choice," I joked as Cheren turned off the lights.

We were plunged into the darkness.

I laid on the ground and wrapped the blanket around me, only wanting to fall into blissful sleep.

* * *

**Unforseen : End**

* * *

It's probably a bad idea for me to be writing two fanfictions at once, especially since I'm just winging both, lol. I actually do have ideas for this, but I don't have every single detail worked out. I'm also using this to get writer's block out of my system for my other story, which I doubt any of you actually read.

This was probably a short chapter, and I don't think I wrote it that well. Criticism would be greatly appreciated.

Don't be confused about this; it isn't that she met N all of those times and he just didn't choose her or admit he was the king of Team Plasma. It's an alternate universe where Hilda only met N in Accumula Town with Cheren. No other times, just then. However, I'd say that she met Ghetsis a few more times. Obviously in Accumula Town. I'd also say whenever he appeared after a Team Plasma incident (For example, with Burgh in Castelia). Though he'd obviously leave out the details regarding Hilda battling N.

That being said, she's also had all of those Team Plasma encounters, except for when she was directed to it. (For example, the Daycare Man thing in Nimbasa did happen, but N didn't bring her into the Ferris Wheel and Confess, along with Bianca's Munna being stolen and the dragon skull being stolen from the gym in Nacrene. The thing in Dragonspiral Tower did happen, but we'll assume that Bruce tried to handle it on his own and Hilda wasn't there because the Shadow Triad never showed up for her, and she probably left Iccurus by the time anyone noticed something was going on.)

If you're wondering why I chose Hilda, it's actually because I play as her. I don't intend to do any romance in this story at the moment.

I always assumed that N was a good public speaker. I don't know why, but I did. And there had to be some way that the people in Nuvema town started to respect Team Plasma.

Oh, and that forest is the myriad of trees surrounding Nuvema that you oddly can't walk around. So basically, the border.

I'm not sure how well I got everyone's characters, so I'd like some pointers on that too. I think Hilda's fine, because technically, she doesn't have a character. It's for the player to decide. I always thought of her as hard-core, somewhat sarcastic, and fun-loving from her artwork.

Thank you for reading.


	2. A Second Basis

**Chapter 2 : A Second Basis**

* * *

I yawned and rubbed my eyes.

_'Gee... The couch sure got lumpier,' _I thought. I opened my eyes to see that I was on the floor. _'Oh wait... Now I remember.'_

I stood up. It was already day. Cheren and Bianca were no where to be seen, but the blanket that Cheren had used was neatly folded on top of my bed with a pillow laying on top, telling me that they were probably okay.

_'Now that I think about it... They're out training, right?'_ I folded my own blanket and put it on the bed with the pillow as well. I dusted off my shirt and stretched. _'What am I supposed to do today?' _

I looked under my bed and my five pokeballs were still there. I picked them up and looked at them. "Sorry guys, but I don't think today you'll get any air," I murmured to them, hoping that they could somehow manage to hear me. I tossed them onto my bed and headed for the closet to change, but remembered that I hadn't the night before and decided not to.

I sat down on the bed and sighed. "What to do..?"

I could always try and look for Mom, but since Cheren said I wasn't allowed to, I wondered what good that would do.

_'Professor Juniper's on house arrest, right?' _I thought to myself. _'That doesn't necessarily mean that I can't see her.' _I shrugged. _'Well, it's something to do...'_

I looked for my sneakers and slid them on. Then I got my hat and my five pokeballs and stuffed them in. I ruminated on the idea of a Team Plasma member catching me in the act. I reluctantly grabbed four of the pokeballs and slid them back under the bed. _'Just in case...'_

With one pokeball in my hat, I made my way downstairs. While I descended, I smelled something wonderful. I sped up my pace down the stairs and was glorified upon seeing breakfast on my living room table.

When I walked up to it, there was a note.

_"We'll be back later. Sorry for using your kitchen and your food._

_-Cheren and Bianca"_

I tossed the note aside and took a heaping bite out of one of the boiled Chansey eggs. I savored the flavor. I didn't even realize that I was this hungry. I popped the rest of the Chansey egg into my mouth.

_'Hey... It's sorta cold,' _I thought to myself as I chewed. I looked up at the clock and spewed out my food. "4:13?!" I exclaimed. _'Did I really sleep in this long?!"_

I made my way to the door. Once I opened it, two grunts shot their heads at me, but upon seeing no danger, they went back to ostracizing me. I stayed put just to see if they would do anything, but they didn't, so I shrugged and walked towards the lab.

Though a short walk, the town felt empty. We didn't have too many residents as it was; we are the smallest town in Unova. But there are a good amount of people. They all walked by, doing their own daily business. However, the absence of pokemon made it feel like a ghost town. Despite this, the people didn't seem to be effected.

When I arrived at the lab, I wasn't surprised to see around a dozen grunts guarding the door. After all, this place _did _distribute pokemon to all new trainers of Unova. I walked up to the two guarding the door.

"May I go inside?" I asked coldly.

The grunts looked at each other.

"What do you think?" the female asked.

The male shrugged. "Ghetsis didn't say anything about letting people in... Just making sure that the professor didn't go out."

"But what if we're not allowed?"

I tapped my foot impatiently. They seemed to notice.

"Fine," the female finally said.

"Tha-"

"But," she said, cutting me off. "We go in with you."

"It seems like a good solution," the male commented.

I thought about it. _'It's not like I was going to do anything suspicious anyway.'_ I nodded. "Seems fair enough," I said.

The two grunts stepped out of the way to let me in first. After I entered, I heard them follow behind me.

When I looked around the lab, I noticed that there really wasn't anything different from when I last came in. It still looked as clean as ever, but Professor Juniper wasn't in sight.

"Professor?" I called out. My voice echoed, something which surprised me. The lab, or at least the room, wasn't that large. "Are you in here?"

There was a moment of silence before a grumpy voice finally answered. "We have already told you all, you have taken _all _of the pokemon."

"There is not even one left," another voice answered. Footsteps became louder as they entered the lab room. "Now please, can you-" Professor Juniper stopped once she saw me. "Hilda?"

"I'm sorry, if this isn't a good time, I could leave," I offered, feeling awkward.

"Oh, no! Of course not!" she insisted. "Did you need anything?" she asked. She then eyed the two grunts behind me.

"N-No, actually... I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Oh, fine, thank you!" she responded happily. "But I thought you were going to challenge Alder."

"I came back to visit my mom," I explained timidly.

"Oh..." she responded, disappointed. "How-" she started. I assumed she was choosing her words, seeing that we were in the presence of Team Plasma. "Coincidental," she concluded, a hint of sorrow in her voice. "I guess Cheren beat you to the Pokemon League, then!" she joked, trying to lift the mood.

"Actually..." I started, contemplating whether I should tell her not. "He came back to visit his own mom sometime after I did."

Surprise wasn't hidden on her face. "Is that so..."

"Haven't you all done enough?" a gradually angering voice called from the back room.

"Father, nothing is wrong here," Professor Juniper assured him, cocking her head in the direction of the other room.

"Nothing wrong?!" Professor Juniper's father responded. I heard footsteps come in. "Oh! What brings you here, Hilda?" he asked, his mood immediately lifting from seeing that I wasn't a Team Plasma grunt. However, he ignored the ones behind me.

"Hello sir," I greeted. "I just wanted to see how Professor Juniper was doing."

"How wonderful!" he replied. "It's good to know that she has such reliable trainers doing her work for her!"

"Father!" Professor Juniper snapped. Her smile made it evident that she didn't mean any harm. After her smile faded, she turned to me. "So, Hilda..." Professor Juniper started. "How have _you _been doing?" she asked skeptically.

"Me..? Well..." Without turning my head, I looked left and right to see if the grunts could see my face. "I'm not faring too well, but... I'll get over it." After I said that, I looked her in the eye and then at my hat. There was a pokeball emblem on it, so I assumed that would be telling her I had pokemon.

Her eyes drifted to my hat, but she held a blank expression that indicated that she didn't know what I meant. "And have you seen Cheren?" she asked.

"Yup."

"And how is he doing?" she asked again.

"He's not as well off," I responded. "He just... wasn't as prepared as I was," I continued, gesturing my eyes to my hat again.

I saw realization hit her father's face. "How unfortunate," he responded.

"I think Bianca is here too... She wanted to study some Braviary on Route 10, but I insisted she did a chore for me," Professor Juniper explained, shaking her head with regret.

"Oh, Bianca. What a nice young girl," Professor Juniper's father commented. "She's been in here quite a few times. Say... How is _she_ doing?" he asked, giving me a stern look.

"A little better than Cheren, but not by much."

"Hm?" he inquired.

"Well, they're pretty much hit the same way, but..." I responded, stopping myself to think of the right words. "Cheren has sunken to a much lower level."

"I see, I see..." Professor Juniper's father murmured to himself. Remembering that there were grunts behind us, he straightened up. "How unfortunate. Send them my best regards. Cheren is that fellow with the glasses, correct?"

I nodded my head. "So you've seen him around?"

"Cheren sometimes comes in here to research where specific pokemon are," Professor Juniper explained.

"Yes, he's a fine young man," her father commentated. "Though I wonder what his short comings are."

Cheren had a lot, but from the look that Professor Juniper's father was giving me, I knew that he didn't actually want a list. "He only has one," I replied.

"Well, Hilda... Please do send my regards to your mother as well," Professor Juniper chimed in.

"Um... I can't do that," I said with difficulty. "I'm not actually allowed to see her."

Professor Juniper looked like she wanted to say something, but decided against it.

"I think I should get going, I've already wasted your time," I suggested.

"It's never a waste of time. Come whenever you please!" Professor Juniper replied.

I felt myself smile. "Thank you, I will."

The Team Plasma grunts and I turned around to leave, but a voice stopped us.

"Wait one second," Professor Juniper's father called out.

I looked back at him with curiosity. "Yes?"

"Without Pokemon in the lab, I'm pretty lonely... Aren't you?"

"Father, she already said that she's fine," she snapped lowly, but her comment was ignored by both of us.

He was asking for something, but I couldn't tell what. I was lost until he drifted his eyes to my hat. "Oh, of course I am. But my pokemon are happier now that they're free," I replied.

Professor Juniper was visually unhappy when I said "my pokemon are happier now that they're free."

"Goodbye then," I said as I held up my hand and stretched out my fingers. I closed them into a fist and opened them to represent the number five. From the corner of my eye, I saw one of the grunts raise an eyebrow. _'He probably just thinks that I'm waving goodbye in a weird way...' _I assured myself.

He nodded, indicating that he got the message. "When you come back, I'll see if there's anything I can do to help you cope with this change."

"It's well appreciated, sir," I addressed and then followed the grunts out of the door.

* * *

I sighed as I walked around town. "I'm so bored..." I muttered to myself. "I want something to do..."

It was probably ungrateful to be concerned in my boredom after such a serious event. I've been forbidden to see my mother and I can't take out my pokemon, yet here I was, only complaining about the lack of activity I was able to do.

"Wait a second..!" I murmured to myself. _'If I could teach Swanna fly, I could just fly out of here and get reinforcements!' _I glowed at the idea, but then shook my head. _'No... As much as that could work, every time I've tried to teach __Swanna fly, it doesn't work.' _I faintly smiled at my failed attempts to try and make Swanna learn fly, which always ended in a comedic fashion. _'Plus, I can't just leave Cheren and Bianca.'_

Actually, I was pretty surprised that no one outside of Nuvema was here trying to help out. For example, the police. Wouldn't this spark a lot of attention? Then again... Nuvema Town is pretty isolated, and we don't often get visitors. It was just a matter of time then. But the damage has already been done. To my knowledge, everyone, with the exception of Cheren, Bianca, and I, has already lost their pokemon.

I kicked some pebbles as I walked along the trees. Then I remembered. _'My Xtransiever!' _I thought happily. I looked on my wrist and turned it on, but sulked as soon as I saw that there was no connection. _'Pretty suspicious for some 'peaceful protesters.'_

_'I wonder where Cheren and Bianca are anyway...' _I contemplated on where they could be training. I knew that it was in the forest, but it would be hard with all of the trees. It wasn't like a forest in a route; there were trees on every step you took. The ground was bumpy with extensive roots. There was also the fact that since they were battling, it would be pretty gargantuan to hide the after effects of attacks. _'Nah...'_ I thought. _'It's not as if Musharna knows thunder or bubble or anything else that would pop out of the trees.'_

I continued to aimlessly wander about.

_'Hm... Maybe I can get Stoutland to ride me to Accumula?' _I wondered, but then rejected the idea. _'There are only two ways I'd be able to get to Accumula. Through the forest, which is way too crowded with trees for Stoutland to run through, or through Route 1 past the barricade of Team Plasma grunts.' _I rejected both ideas again. _'I don't even know where the forest leads to, and in case that N guy is here, I don't want to attract attention.'_

I chuckled to myself a little. _'Who knew it would be this hard to leave a town?'_

I eventually found myself on the overlook towards the back of the town. I looked over the railing. I looked down at the water and sighed. _'I should have taught Swanna or Stoutland surf while I could have.'_

Looking back up, I was surprised of the view. It looked a lot more serene than I remembered it to be. With the orange reflection of the water, I realized that I probably killed more time than I intended to. I took one last glance at the scene before me before heading back to my house.

Once I was almost at the door, I stopped. _'I wonder where Mom is...'_ With this thought, I knew that curiosity would get the best of me. I turned around and went left to Bianca's house. I supposed that Bianca's parents might know where my mom was.

When I arrived at her house, I was a little unsettled by the lack of Team Plasma. This should have been a good thing, but it struck me as rather odd. I knocked on the door. After a moment of silence, I invited myself in.

The living room was empty. "Hello..?" I called out. I waited another moment, but there was still no response. If people were in here, they were either showering, sleeping, or simply not here. But the vacancy still piqued my interest. Even after I had left my own house, there were still two grunts by the door. I even remember seeing them as I wandered aimlessly around town.

I turned around to exit, but I heard footsteps descending from the stairs. I halted and turned my head.

Bianca's mother came down. Upon seeing me, she put on a faint grin. "Oh hello there, Hilda. What brings you here?"

"Oh... I'm sorry for intruding," I apologized, but didn't give her the chance to respond, "but would you happen to know where my mother is?"

"It's alright," she assured me. "And as for your mother... No, I haven't seen her."

"Oh... I see. Thank you for your time," I said as I turned around to walk out.

"How is Bianca?" she asked, probably a little faster than she intended.

I turned around again. "She's good. Don't worry, nothing has happened to her," I assured her. "There are only grunts guarding my house. That's it, though."

She nodded.

"Speaking of that," I started, "yesterday Bianca and Cheren told me that their houses were being guarded."

"That's right," she confirmed with a tone urging me to go on.

"But when I came here, no one was outside." I looked up at her for an answer.

"Oh, that," she replied in a nonchalant tone. "I heard that someone let someone into the pokemon lab, but they weren't supposed to."

"...Is that so?" I replied awkwardly.

"Mhm. The two outside of our home were called to the lab to up security, to make sure a misunderstanding like that wouldn't happen again," she explained. "I believe Cheren's house has been relieved of grunts as well," she pondered to herself. "They left only a few minutes ago."

I fidgeted awkwardly in place. _'I think I just made Professor Juniper's situation worse,' _I thought guiltily.

"Team Plasma won't let me see Bianca," Bianca's mom informed me in a melancholic tone. She looked at me with pleading eyes. "Please, look after her."

I nodded. "Of course, she's my friend."

She smiled at this. "You should get going; Team Plasma told me that I couldn't see my daughter, and though they didn't say anything about you, it's best to be safe," she suggested. "I don't know the consequences. They can't be _too _harsh, considering their goals of peace, but still."

I nodded in agreement.

"But while you're here, I think I have something that might be useful."

I cocked my head in curiosity.

Bianca's mom went up the staircase and came back down a mere second later. With her pace, her speed seemed questionable. She extended her arms and dropped something into my outstretched palms.

"Huh?" I wondered to myself as I looked at the item in my hands. "It's a pokeball?" I asked as I looked at it from different angles. It was a dull blue color with smaller aqua balls coming off of it.

"Mhm!" Bianca's mother confirmed. "I had a friend in Jhoto that- Oh. You know where that is, right?" she paused to ask.

I nodded.

"Well, she knows a man who makes specialty homemade pokeballs, and she gave me one of these as a souvenir," she explained. "I hope you'll be able to use it."

I thanked her along with a kind smile. But there was one think that irked my curiosity. "Mind me asking, but are all pokeballs in Jhoto like this?" The design, though admirable, looked pretty funky to me.

"No, actually. The basic pokeball designs are universal. This one is a specialty pokeball called the Heavy Ball," she informed me. "A Jhoto exclusive. It's a homemade pokeball, and it works best on heavier pokemon."

"Thats... Pretty useful, actually," I admitted. "I wonder if I can find one like this around Unova.

My answer seemed to satisfy her. "It's been unused for years, so you're better off having it," she justified. "But I have a favor to ask of you."

"Of course, anything," I replied willingly.

"Please... Use that pokeball and catch a good pokemon. Don't tell Bianca when you got it," she requested.

I sent her a quizzical look.

"Many of the people here are convinced that Team Plasma is trustworthy... Save for their intrusion, Team Plasma hasn't done anything too bad yet. All they've done is set up guards, presumably to save us in case of a pokemon related fiasco since they released all of ours," she summarized. "So in case something dire happens, we no longer have pokemon to help ourselves."

I looked down. _'So she's not worried about Team Plasma themselves doing something.'_ I inwardly furrowed my brows at this._ 'That seems to be the whole town's perspective, from what I've been overhearing.' _

"I want you to help out Bianca, just in case..." she concluded.

"You shouldn't even have to request it," I replied. In a way, I respected her actions. Giving me a pokeball itself was probably a risky move, but something else piqued my interest. "But why don't you give it to Bianca?"

Bianca's mom seemed to ruminate on the idea. She answered with a melancholic voice. "You see, I don't want Bianca to have to catch a pokemon and have the pressure of having to hide it. And knowing her, she'll get close to the poor thing," she explained, pausing at some points. "To be honest, I don't believe she could keep a secret like this," she added in hesitantly. "And in case she's found out, I don't want her to go through the pain of losing a friend," she added in. Realizing her words, she quickly retaliated. "N-Not that I want you to either, Hilda, but-"

"I understand," I said, cutting her off and saving her from stuttering words.

She sent me a smile. "Thank you," she finally said. "I'm sorry for holding you."

I shook my head to indicate that it wasn't a problem. I considered telling her that Bianca had Musharna, but quickly refused the idea. I concluded that the news would make her worried. I slipped the Heavy Ball in my pocket.

"If you were planning to go to Cheren's house to look for your mother, I recommend that you wait until tomorrow," she suggested. "You better get going... And please don't tell anyone about the pokeball. Not Bianca, or Cheren, or anyone."

I couldn't blame her for wanting to keep it secretive. There was Team Plasma who'd almost certainly despise the idea, there was the fact that Bianca might see this as an act of "betrayal" that her own mom gave her friend such a rare pokeball instead of her own daughter, and with just the fact that she doesn't want anyone else concerned in this sneaky business.

I nodded and went to exit her house. I felt her hopeful eyes on my back as I left.

* * *

Bianca's mother recommended that I shouldn't go to Cheren's house, but I just had to find out where my mom was. Especially since there weren't any grunts momentarily, this seemed like the opportune time.

I walked up to the door and knocked. When there was no answer again, I decided to wait it out this time. I felt it was awkward when I just welcomed myself in; although it was standard that people left their doors unlocked, I felt like this wasn't the time to barge in unexpectedly.

I rocked in place, waiting to see if anyone would answer the door. I gave up after five minutes and walked away.

I decided to stroll past the pokemon lab to see if what Bianca's mom had said; it was true. There were more grunts. As I walked by, the two grunts who had let me in glared at me ruefully; they had most likely been punished. I pretended to ignore their gazes and walked a little more.

I looked at my Xtransiever to see the time. For 8:36, it was pretty bright out. Starting to feel hungry, I made my way back to my house, hoping that Cheren and Bianca were back already. I headed back to my house, and upon seeing the first story windows lit, I knew that they were.

When I opened the door, I heard Bianca shriek a little in surprise. Bianca's face was one of astonishment and fear. Cheren tried to hide his emotions, but his face was slightly taken aback, telling me that he too was surprised.

I cocked my head in confusion. "What's up?"

Upon seeing that is was only me. Bianca muttered "oh thank goodness" under her breath as she exhaled. Cheren let out a small sigh.

I was about to ask again, but when I looked behind my door, I saw an exhausted Musharna and hyperventilating Mincinno on my couch. I hastily entered and closed the door.

"Now this is something we overlooked," Cheren informed me. "Without Pokemon Centers or medicine, pokemon need to rest out of their pokeballs to regain their health. It slipped my mind," he admitted reluctantly. He looked away with sheepish eyes.

"I forgot too," Bianca admitted shyly.

"I don't suppose you have any potions on you, do you Hilda?" Cheren asked.

"Well, I have some Moo-Moo Milk in the refrigerator."

"That'll do," Cheren replied as he headed for my refrigerator.

"Well, we can heal off of that, but what about status effects?" I asked.

"Not a problem!" Bianca giggled as she pried her hat off of her head, sending dozens of berries falling off of her head and tumbling to the floor. I was sure that my face looked flabbergasted, but I decided not to question it. I walked over to help her pick them up.

"We found them in the forest," she explained as she separated pecha berries from cherri berries. "There were tons!"

As I picked them up, I noticed that all of the status effect curers were here. Though I should be reveling at the convenience, I couldn't help but tease Bianca a little. "Doesn't all of that weight make your head hurt?"

"Wh-What? N-No, of course not..!"

"Yes, Hilda, what were you thinking?" Cheren's voice intruded from accross the room. "Bianca's air-headed, so adding a little weight would only make her head the average weight size. Not much more of a challenge," he added nonchalantly, his voice unwavering.

I burst out laughing. It was pretty rare for Cheren to indulge in raillery.

"H-H-Hey..!" Bianca stuttered, her face red with chagrin.

As my laughter died down, I patted her on the back as I stood up and dropped my armful of berries onto the kitchen counter. I quickly caught the three that rolled off of the edge and placed them back up. After, I walked over to the couch.

"Some long training session," I commented as I watched Cheren feed Musharna a jug of Moo-Moo Milk. "When did you leave?"

"We woke up sometime around 11:00," Cheren replied. "We were waiting for you to wake up, but you never did. I wanted to wake you up, but Bianca convinced me otherwise. We left at around 2:00 after eating a late breakfast... Or light lunch, if you will."

"Ah..."

I heard Bianca walk up behind me and watch Cheren feed Musharna the Moo-Moo Milk. After the jug was emptied, Musharna floated off of the couch and let out a few happy cries.

"You're better now! I'm so glad!" Bianca exclaimed.

Musharna affectionately cooed as it encircled Bianca.

Bianca laughed a little as she took its pokeball from out of her pocket. Bianca's laughter died down and her face turned from one of glee to one of regret. "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to return to your pokeball now."

Musharna nodded as it was enveloped in a flash of red light and sucked into the pokeball.

"Minci! Mincinno!" a happy voice exclaimed. Bianca and I turned our heads to see that Mincinno was now scurrying about the floor, its energy replenished. It ran up to me foot and looked at me with a heart-stopping smile as if to say "thank you" before it was enveloped in a red light.

Shocked at its sudden recall, Bianca and I turned our heads to look at Cheren, who shrugged off our notions and pocketed the pokeball.

"Anyway, I'm hungry. Is there anything left in the fridge?" I asked.

Cheren shook his head. "Your fridge was relatively empty, save for the three Chansey eggs."

"I can go to the market!" Bianca volunteered. "Really, I don't mind!"

I was about to object and offer to go myself when Cheren spoke up.

"Great. I'll trust your judgment on what to get."

"Hee hee, okay!" she giggled as she happily skipped out the door.

Once she was out of sight, Cheren turned to me. "Were you the one that visited Professor Juniper's lab?" he asked accusingly.

I sank back a little, but nodded sheepishly.

He turned away and sighed.

"Oh, come on. I bet you were going to too," I retorted.

"Indeed," he confirmed. "I wanted to ask Professor Juniper a few questions."

"You wouldn't have received the opportunity anyway," I informed him. "They only let me in if I was escorted with two grunts."

Cheren's face relaxed a little. "I see... Then the visit would have been futile anyway."

"What were you going to ask about anyway?" I asked curiously.

He looked at me as if he didn't even know what he was going to ask. After a second, he spoke. "I've been told that in a certain region, there's an old man that makes homemade pokeballs. I wanted to see if Professor Juniper knew the procedure."

"Ah," I sounded in understanding. I was about to tell him about the heavy ball, when Bianca's mother's words came into my mind. _"And please don't tell anyone about the pokeball. Not Bianca, or Cheren, or anyone."_

"Is something wrong?" Cheren asked skeptically, noticing my hesitation.

"Oh, nothing," I swatted the topic away.

"If you do know anything about the procedure, I request that you tell me."

"I don't know anything. I just thought that it was interesting," I persuaded him. It was true, but my earlier silence made it seem otherwise.

He stared at me for a good second before turning around and shrugging the topic away.

"Oh... And also, I have my own request," I brought up.

Cheren looked at me with a questionable facial expression.

"I can't exactly leave my pokemon in their pokeballs forever," I started. "Could I have tomorrow to let them graze in the forest?"

Cheren contemplated the idea. "Mincinno really needs the training, and Bianca could brush up a little herself..."

_'That's not really the point,'_ I thought, but decided to let him decide first.

"Would you mind waiting a few days?" he finally asked.

_'Wait a few days? What was the problem with tomorrow?' _I wondered. It wasn't a problem for me to wait, but I didn't see any difference between tomorrow and a few days from now. I shrugged. _'If only we could all leave at once, but that would arouse suspicion.'_

"And I also have another question for you," Cheren added.

"Hm?" I asked.

"We both met N in Accumula Town... But did you meet him anytime after?" Cheren asked eagerly.

"No, actually. I didn't," I replied. "Why? Did you?"

"I've seen him in the crowds occasionally during Team Plasma's speeches... I suppose his frequent attendance makes sense now."

"Mhm..." I nodded in agreement.

"In the meantime, I have a proposition."

"Hm? More questions?" I asked teasingly.

Cheren's face didn't falter. "Waiting around for evidence that Team Plasma isn't a benefactor would be a waste of time," Cheren explained. "Therefore, I suggest we do some investigating."

"Investigating..?" I echoed to myself.

"Indeed."

"Hm... And what about Bianca?" I asked despite knowing the answer.

"We shouldn't risk it," Cheren stated coldly. "Bianca isn't exactly the quiet one out of the three of us," he explained. "Well, neither are you but I'll need backup."

"Gee, thanks," I shot back insincerely. I ruminated on the idea of spying on Team Plasma. _'Seems fun. It's not like I have anything to do,' _I thought to myself.

Before I could answer, the door opened. Cheren and I shot our heads to the door, frozen in place. However, we were relieved when it was only Bianca.

"That was a quick run," I commented.

"Well, I didn't want to keep you two waiting, so I made sure I got back quick!" Bianca commented.

"But that was only about seven minutes."

Bianca simply giggled and carried the one grocery bag to the kitchen counter. However, what she took out of the bag wasn't food, but an odd looking pot on top of what looked to be a griddle.

"Bianca... What is this?" I asked, somewhat irked.

"A poffin maker," she answered gleefully.

"But this isn't food," I shot back.

"Nope."

"..."

"..."

"Bianca."

"Hmm?"

"What are we going to eat?"

"Poffins, of course!"

I was glaring at her with disbelief, but she seemed as ignorant and bubbly as ever.

"Allow me to explain," Cheren offered, sensing my confusion. "A poffin is delicacy from the Sinnoh Region used to improve contest performances."

"Contests..." I muttered. "That thing where pokemon make moves look pretty?"

"Precisely," Cheren confirmed. "However, it is also consumable by humans." Cheren walked up to the cooking instrument and started to examine it at different angles. "I heard that they tasted quite delectable."

"Oooh, I see..." Being on a low budget since we couldn't battle for money anymore, Bianca came up with the idea of buying a poffin maker to save money on food. Since the forest was supposedly full of berries, it was as if we had an infinite food source.

"But how does it work?" Cheren inquired, turning the poffin maker upside down.

"H-Huh?" Bianca asked nervously.

Cheren shot her a stern look. "You _do _know how to function this contraption, don't you?"

I gazed at Bianca with expectancy, who was turning red.

"U-Uhm..." Bianca fidgeted.

"Don't worry... We'll figure it out," I assured her. "It was a good idea," I admitted. "Now we have money for other stuff... Like... Uh..."

"Well, I'm quite peckish," Cheren intruded, saving me the humility. He plugged the poffin maker into the kitchen's outlet and flipped a switch.

The bowl on the griddle started spinning. The three of us stepped back and watched in awe.

"What do we do now..?" Bianca wondered outloud.

"I don't know," I replied, eying the space between the bowl and the griddle. It was a dimmed red, presumably because it was heating up.

"If I remember correctly, this is when we put the berries in."

"Yeah, but aren't poffins sorta doughy?" Bianca asked, her gaze not lifting from the spinning bowl.

"They are, aren't they..." Cheren thought to himself. "But what kind of dough is poffin dough?" he asked no one in particular.

"I don't know," I answered. "I didn't even know poffins existed!"

"Maybe it's just regular dough! B-But watered down," Bianca suggested.

"Hm..." Cheren thought aloud. "We used all of the Chansey eggs earlier, and we need the Moo-Moo Milk for our pokemon."

"We can substitute ingredients, cant we?" I asked out loud. "I know we have flour around here, and we can just mix it with water."

"It'll have to make do," Cheren sighed. "I'm sure the market is closed by now."

"S-Sorry..." Bianca stuttered.

"Well, it's a learning experience," Cheren sighed. "Just start mixing the substitute dough."

"S-Sure thing!" Bianca replied and scurried over to the kitchen cabinets. I heard rattling, but chose to ignore it.

"So we put in the wattery dough and then drop in the berries?" I asked. "Seems simple enough."

"But wouldn't the berries just solidify in the dough?" Cheren countered.

"Yeah, but something about this pot seems... Different," I commentated. "Maybe the berries will melt."

"It's an interesting theory," Cheren stated. "If so... We need to mix it as it's cooking."

"I have a wooden spoon around here somewhere," I said as I walked to the pantry to look for it.

"Yes, we'll need that..." Cheren muttered to himself. "Perhaps that's why the bowl spins. To mix it more efficiently," Cheren concluded to himself, harshly intrigued by the machine.

I saw Bianca with the wooden spoon, mixing the substitute dough. "I found the flour!" she proclaimed when she noticed I was looking at her. After a few more seconds of stirring, she brought the mixing bowl over to the poffin maker and poured the dough in. She then set the bowl to the side and looked into the pot with awe. Cheren and I followed, and now the three of us were crowded around the spinning bowl.

_'I find it pretty hilarious that we're all amusing ourselves with a spinning bowl," _I joked to myself. "So what now? The berries?"

"I _think _so," Bianca replied reluctantly.

Suddenly, the dough started bubbling, surprising the three of us again.

"I think this means we have to add in the berries now!" I said hastily.

"O-Okay!" Bianca replied hastily as she grabbed a rawst berry from the counter and dropped it in the mix.

The dough took on a slightly blue hue.

"Quick! Mix it!" I ordered excitedly.

"G-Got it!" Bianca replied as she took the wooden spoon from the mixing bowl and started mixing the dough in the direction the bowl was spinning.

"No, no, the other way!" Cheren snapped.

"O-Okay!" Bianca answered as she switched her direction.

The dough started turning into a deeper blue, when suddenly the bowl started spinning in the direction Bianca was stirring.

"Quick! The other way, Bianca!" Cheren snapped. Even _he _out of the three of us was getting excited about this.

"U-Uhuh..!" Bianca cried nervously as she started stirring it the other way.

The bubbling started to slow down, and Bianca became visibly relieved. However, the pot stopped spinning, and instead started moving forward and backwards.

"Oh no oh no oh no! What do I do?!" she asked nervously, moving the spoon in random directions.

"Give me that!" I commanded as I grabbed the spoon from her hands and started waving it left and right in the pot.

"Left and right, Hilda!" Cheren ordered.

"That's what I'm doing!" I snapped as the pot started shaking left and right. "GAHHHH! What is this thing doing?!" I exclaimed as I started moving the spoon up and down.

"I-I'm sorry! This was a bad idea!" Bianca cried. I saw from the corner of my eye that she was waving her hands furiously. "I really wasted our money! I'll earn it back, I promise!"

"Sinnoh has an odd taste in gourmands," Cheren commented with wide eyes.

A "ding" came from the bottom of the griddle and the pot stopped moving. I pulled the spoon out which was coated with thick dough and placed it in the mixing bowl without casting away my gaze.

"It's done," Cheren stated the obvious.

"But... It isn't solid."

"Oh! Maybe it hardens when we take it out!" Bianca suggested as she took the pot and poured a blotch onto a plate that she got sometime during the situation. As soon as she stopped the pot from tilting, the dough on the plate solidified into a steamy bun. She took a bite and closed her eyes. "Delicious!" she proclaimed and scarfed the rest of it down.

"Let me try," Cheren interjected as he poured his own size. After it solidified two seconds later, he took a reluctant bite. "It's not bad... I wonder how it would taste if we had the proper ingredients."

I poured my own glob and stuffed the whole thing into my mouth. "MMmmm!" I sighed. The taste was heavenly. Chewing was hard as the poffin took up almost all of the space in my mouth, but I swallowed it in a hard gulp. _'Ha! Who knew the highlight of my day would be eating a palm-sized confection? If only I could share it with my pokemon.'_

* * *

**A Second Basis : End**

* * *

I actually didn't expect 3 followers on my first chapter O.o Thanks to to the three of you.

If you're wondering why the poffin scene was relevant, I put it in there just to show that despite the depressing situation they're in, they could still have fun, but I probably made it longer than I needed to.

I had to re-write a few times because sometimes the page randomly refreshes (I'm typing this on the website).

N was also supposed to originally appear in this chapter, but I thought it was too early for him to come back.

I'm not sure how well I got everyone in character, so if you could give some pointers, it would be well appreciated. There was also the fact that I'm very repetitive in my words, and I thought this chapter was pretty dull and confusing at times, so any form of criticism is welcome. Thanks for reading.


	3. Unary Tactic

**CHAPTER 3 : UNARY TACTIC**

* * *

Today, I woke up before Cheren and Bianca. I was shocked to look at the clock and see that it was 6:00 A.M. We had gone to sleep at about 1:00 after amusing ourselves with a poffin maker. I smiled at the idiotic memory.

In an attempt to stop Cheren and Bianca from waking up, I tip toed to the stairs. I circumvented around Cheren's blanket, taking extra caution to be sure I didn't step on him. I descended the stairs as quietly as I could.

When I finished descending the stairs, the scent of poffins enchanted my nose. Smelling its scent made me crave a few; I wanted to eat breakfast anyway.

I made my way to the poffin maker to see if there was any excess batter I could use. The pot was coated with a thick layer of dried batter. I scraped out the leftovers with the wooden spoon and ate the shavings. Though it wasn't enough to satisfy my hunger, we ran out of flour last night, so I couldn't make anymore.

I glanced up at the wall clock. It read 6:20. Wanting to kill more time, I decided to get some fresh air.

When I left my house, the two grunts by the door shot their heads at me. Sensing no danger, they went back to their post and stared straight ahead.

_'Their job must be boring,' _I thought pitifully as I walked past them. _'Now... What to do?' _I asked myself. _'I can let out my pokemon!' _I thought happily, even smiling like an idiot. I reached over for my satchel but realized I didn't have it on me. _'Wait a second...' _I thought to myself. _'Did I even take my pokemon with me today..?' _I thought to myself dourly.

I turned around to go get them, but seeing the grunts stare at me unnerved me. I had a feeling that if I entered and exited for what seemed like no reason, they'd take it the wrong way. I reluctantly turned around and strolled into town.

I sighed as I walked along the dirt path. "I'm so bored..." I muttered to myself. It was only about half an hour since I woke up, but I was already sulking in boredom. That was quite pitiful in itself, but I couldn't help it; it's my nature to be occupied in something or my mind strays from reality.

There wasn't much I could do. I could look for my mom again, but it was way too early for that. Nuvema wasn't really a "business town," so everyone usually woke up at a smug hour, which was around 10. I did pass by a few people, but no one I was closely acquainted with. Even so, Team Plasma grunts easily outnumbered them.

I still probably couldn't leave Nuvema Town. I could try by going through the forest at the right side of town, but wouldn't my absence be noticed? I didn't want my friends or my mom to suffer for it.

For a while, I contemplated on going to Cheren's house and seeing if my mom was there, but decided it was too early. If his family was sleeping, I'd feel awkward about waking them. I walked towards the pokemon lab, but went no where near it. I was just curious if there was still a heavy guard about it.

When I saw no one surrounding it, I curiously sneaked to the building and peeped through one of the windows. I realized it would be odd to see someone with a mischievous face looking through your window at the early hours of the morning, but I ignored that.

I saw Professor Juniper's waiting room, which was right next to the lab. There was an entrance with no door that connected to the lab. I couldn't see anyone, but I heard voices. I tried to listen, but everything seemed like mumbling to me.

Sighing to myself, I decided to go to the back and see if there was anywhere else I could get a better view or listen on. When I rounded the corner, I saw another person listening in the conversation through a different window.

I felt myself pale. _'Oh no...' _I thought as I retracted myself from rounding the corner. _'What if that was a Team Plasma spy? What if he saw me?' _I heard footsteps and I froze in place.

"Hey..! Who's there?" a voice demanded. It sounded dangerously close.

_'Crud..! Gotta go!' _I thought as I ran around the other corner of the lab. Thankfully, there still weren't any grunts guarding the front. I sighed in relief when I heard footsteps again.

"Wait..!"

_'Dang,' _I thought ruefully as I ran around the corner again. I was now on the other side of the lab, hoping that whoever that was had assumed I ran into town. I leaned against the wall of the lab as I tried to peek my head from the corner. I sighed with relief when I saw no one and backed a little. To my bewilderment, I heard another sigh the same time as I did, and we backed into each other. I let out a little gasp of surprise.

Not bothering to turn around, I ran back in the direction of the front of the lab and then looked both ways hastily. _'No one?! Good!' _I ran towards my home again. _'What if he saw me..? Everyone knows my hat... Oh. Yeah, I'm a goner,' _I thought as I passed various houses. It was ironic that I was getting a thrill out of this.

"Hilda!"

I froze and turned around hastily.

Cheren was giving me a funny look, while Bianca seemed relatively happy.

I sighed with relief when I saw it was just them and calmed down. "Oh... It's just you guys."

"Hm? Did something happen?" Bianca asked curiously.

I shook my head no.

Cheren seemed skeptical, but chose not to comment on it.

"Well... You two are up early," I commented.

"As are you," Cheren noted. "Bianca and I were about to run an errand," he explained. I assumed he meant train.

"What were you doing?" Bianca trilled.

"Oh, nothing... Just walking around town," I scratched my head. _'Well, it wasn't a lie.'_

"But you're panting!" Bianca examined.

It was then I noticed how heavily I was breathing. I didn't know if it was from the excitement of a possible Team Plasma spy or just from the running. I was never a good runner.

"Did something happen?" Cheren asked.

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it," I assured them with a smile.

"Alright..." Cheren responded unsurely.

"We were going to go eat breakfast first," Bianca informed me. "There has to be a place or two open."

"I was actually alright with just making some poffins," Cheren added. "But that idea made Bianca nervous, and I didn't want to use your resources without your permission."

"I had the same idea," I replied. "But we were out of flour."

"I see," Cheren responded.

"We were actually about to look for you!" Bianca cut in. "To eat breakfast together! I mean, you don't have to, but... If you're hungry..."

"Why don't you join us?" Cheren summarized.

"Yeah! That's what I meant!"

I chuckled at Bianca unable to choose her words. "Sure. Why not? I mean, we are housemates, after all."

"Great!" Bianca squealed with joy.

"But where are we going to eat?" I asked curiously. "And do we really have the money for it? I mean... We can't earn money by battling, after all..."

"I have a solution for that," Cheren replied.

"Oh really?" I asked curiously.

He simply nodded.

"I'm starving! We only ate a few hours ago, but still!" Bianca chimed.

I looked down at my C-Gear for the time. It was already 7:20. _'Did I really waste that much time just walking around? I must have been really out of it.'_

"There's plenty of time to look for a cafe of some sort," Cheren informed me, noticing that I was looking at the time. "Not many people are up at this hour. Here, at least."

"Right," I nodded.

"So what are we in the mood for?" Cheren asked us as I caught up to their side.

"Hmm... I don't know," Bianca mused as we started walking. "I'm fine with anything, really!"

"Same here," I responded. "I just want food. All I had were a few poffin scrapings."

"So that was you..." Cheren observed.

"Hm? Did you want some?" I asked.

"No, no. I was just curious..."

"He thinks that Team Plasma came into your house," Bianca explained.

"Huh? Why do you say that?"

Cheren hesitated before saying, "It was an inquiry."

"Ah."

"Oh, hey!" Bianca exclaimed, pointing an excited finger forward. "I think that place is open!"

"Great, I was getting a little snacky."

We sped up our pace a little and entered the cafe. There was a row of booths and a long counter. There were about four Team Plasma grunts that whipped their heads to us, but other then that, it was relatively empty.

"Just great..." Cheren muttered.

Bianca nudged him, but said nothing.

After the Team Plasma members relieved their attention on us, we walked over to an isolated booth and sat down. I moved to the inner part of the further seat and Bianca slid in next to me. Cheren took the booth across from us.

"Well, this complicates things..." Cheren murmured to us.

"What do you-ow!" I started, but Bianca cut me off by nudging me.

"Oh well. I suppose we can use this time to discuss other matters."

"Like what?" Bianca asked.

"Well... We are out of food."

"No problem," I assured him. "I'll do some grocery shopping later. I got all the time in the world."

"Right. I'll assume you know what to get," Cheren replied. "That aside... I don't think we should be sleeping on the floor like this."

Bianca looked embarrassed. "If you'd like, you two can have the bed!" Cheren and I looked at her with quizzical looks. She shrunk back immediately. "I mean... One of you!" she corrected herself nervously.

Cheren shook his head and waved his hand. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what do you have in mind?" Bianca asked shyly, still embarrassed by her previous comment.

"I thought that we might be able to invest in a cot or two," Cheren suggested.

I shrugged. "I don't see why not."

"Yeah. Why not?" Bianca echoed.

"Well, we are on a limited budget. In fact, once we run out of money, I don't know what we're supposed to do."

"Wait a second, didn't you say you had something thought out?" I asked.

"A falsification."

I scowled.

Cheren sighed. "An excuse to talk?"

"We can live off of berries!" Bianca suggested.

"Dial it down," I harshly whispered to her.

"Oh, right," she whispered back.

"Still. We have other needs to attend to," Cheren reminded her. "For one... Our families."

Bianca bowed her head.

"Then there's our little side mission," he said a little quieter.

"But speaking of our families," I interrupted, "when are we appealing to Team Plasma?"

Cheren had a thoughtful look on his face.

"Didn't think it out yet, huh?" I asked jocosely.

"We'll get to it," Cheren said sharply.

I shrugged. "Aside from that, _who _do we go to?"

"Don't we go to that N guy?" Bianca asked innocently.

All of the sudden, the heads of four Team Plasma members shot in our direction with icy glares. Bianca visibly shrunk while Cheren and I blinked in surprise. They slowly turned back to their own business, letting me mentally sigh in relief.

"Wh-what was that all about?" Bianca asked nervously in a hushed tone.

"I suspect that they're protective of their leader..." Cheren mused to himself.

"Could be," I commented.

"Here you go," a rough voice interrupted.

"Oh thank you, sir-" Bianca started but froze when she saw the waitress' face. "I-I mean ma'am, I'm so sorry!"

Bianca's slip of the tongue didn't seem to bother her, for she just shrugged and handed us menus. I didn't blame Bianca though. I thought it was a man too, and from the look of Cheren's uncomfortable face, so did he.

_'But... She sounds kinda familiar...'_

Bianca started frisking the menu in her hands while Cheren glanced down at it in a mundane fashion. I picked it up with one of my hands and started looking. As the waitress walked away, I noticed that from the corner of my eye that she gave me an intent stare.

_'Do I know her from somewhere..?' _I wondered. I started to observe her from the corner of my eye. _'Brown hair, tall figure... I can't even see her face anymore...' _I noticed as she walked away.

The sound of rustling feet caught my attention. The Bianca and I peeked our heads from out of the menus and Cheren turned his body. The Team Plasma members were leaving.

"It's about time..." Cheren muttered as the last one exited.

Bianca sighed in response. "I feel like they were watching us the whole time."

"It's quite likely," Cheren added.

"Well, now that they're out of the way..." I murmured, lifting the menu back up, looking for anything that caught my attention. "Today, I do groceries. You guys go train," I summarized, checking my volume.. There weren't any Team Plasma members, but I couldn't be too sure. The last thing I'd want is for the three of us to be separated from our pokemon.

"To the usual spot, right Cheren?" Bianca asked.

"Hmm..." he sounded in response, most likely meaning a yes. He probably wasn't giving us his full attention; after all, he was hungry too.

"And we'll look for more berries while we're out there too," Bianca told me.

"But what I'm concerned about is... How many of them are there out there?" I wondered.

"There were tons!" Bianca replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well... Berries are pretty rare in Unova," I answered. "I haven't seen one growing naturally since we left."

"Oh... That's true."

"But no one goes into the forest, so it's like our own private little garden," Cheren disclosed.

"So I guess we split up after this, huh?" I asked.

"Yup," Bianca confirmed.

I sighed. "I'm going to be so bored..."

"Now, do you all know what you'd like?" a rough voice asked. The waitress had come back to take our order.

* * *

"Remember. More Moo-Moo Milk," Cheren called back to me as we went our separate ways. "It's vital."

"Yeah, I got it," I lazily replied.

Now that Bianca and Cheren were going to the forest to train, I was left alone. I had a lot of hours to kill.

_'Maybe I should just go to the forest without Cheren and Bianca's consent...'_ I thought to myself. My pokemon needed some air anyway. However, the casting gazes of nearby Team Plasma members made me change my mind. _'Right... It's suspicious if we're all gone.'_

Maybe I could go to Cheren's house and see if my mom was there. I looked down at my C-Gear for the time. _'8:43... Would they be up right now? I'd hate to intrude...'_

Suddenly, I thought I heard a faint cry. I twirled around in a circle to try and decipher where it came from. When I looked around, the few people around me didn't seem to notice anything. Thinking it was just me, I reluctantly continued walking, but I heard it again after a few steps.

_'Is it coming from behind me..?'_ I wondered as I turned my head. _'There it is again!'_ I exclaimed in my mind, swearing that I heard something. But it didn't sound like it was in the vicinity.

I turned around and started cautiously walking towards where I thought the noise was. The noise would sound every few steps I took, and though it got louder, it was still very faint. It was almost as if I was imagining it.

_'Heh. At least this'll kill some time,'_ I joked to myself, thinking about the possibility that my mind was just playing games on me.

After walking a good distance and peering into the alleyways of houses and buildings, I came to the edge of the forest.

_'Dead end, huh?'_ I wondered and was about to turn around, when the noise sounded again. It was feeble and light, but very close. I was able to identify it as a pokemon's cry. Both excited and alarmed, I turned around.

_'A pokemon in the forest..? No way,' _I ruled out the idea. The forest had no signs of life in it, aside from trees and apparently berries.

_"Vaaann..." _a waning voice cried.

_'No... That was definitely from the forest,'_ I confirmed to myself. _'But... What about...' _I wondered to myself, knowing I wasn't supposed to leave.

The voice of the pokemon became more feeble, and was almost inaudible.

_'That's not a good sign...' _I thought as I hastily looked around me. Seeing no one, I prodded into the forest. _'It's definitely a pokemon! But it doesn't sound too good...' _Once I was a good distance away from town, I stopped in my tracks and tried to concentrate. _'Where is it..?'_

I looked at my surroundings and only saw the deep thicket of woods.

_'Am I really just imagining this?'_ I wondered to myself. _'In that case, I better-'_

I heard what sounded like a distant thud. I ran over to where the sound came from. In a small clearing, I saw something white lying on the floor. It was shaking.

_'A pokemon..?_' I deducted as I cautiously approached it. I crouched down next to it and saw that it was indeed a pokemon. "Hey there," I greeted softly, trying not to alarm it.

"Van..!" the alarmed pokemon exclaimed weakly, trying to inch away from me. When it turned its head to face me, I saw that it was a Vanillite. It was visually afraid of me.

"There's no need to worry," I assured it. "Now, why are you all the way out here?" I asked it. No pokemon lived in the forest, so any pokemon that was here was most likely from Route 1, but I was positive that there weren't any wild Vanillites in that area. All you could find were Patrats and Lillipups, and an Audino if you were lucky.

The Vanillite cowered.

_'Wait... Could this be a trainer's pokemon?' _I asked myself. _'Well... It's possible, but why release it all the way out here? Are there more?'_

The Vanillite backed up a little more, but didn't take its fear-stricken eyes off of me.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I assured it. "Are you a trainer's pokemon?"

The Vanillite reluctantly nodded.

"Oh, I see..." I replied with a little sorrow in my voice. "You were looking for your trainer... That's why you were crying, right?"

"Van..."

I took that as a yes. "But you're hurt... Aren't you?" I asked. The Vanillite's voice was shaky and strained, and not just from fear. I also noticed that it looked very beat up, as if it just came from a battle. Then I remembered the thud I heard. "Were you fighting with another pokemon?"

The Vanillite nodded and looked up at a tree.

I followed its eyes and saw a broken limb. When I trailed my eyes back down I saw a broken branch a few feet away from where the Vanillite was lying when I found it.

"So you were hiding up there and the branch broke..." I observed to myself.

The Vanillite was clearly injured. However, the more I talked to it, the less wary it seemed of me. Suddenly, the Vanillite winced and rolled around, whining in pain.

"Oh no... You need some help!" I deducted out loud when I noticed just how many scratches it had. The Vanillite's condition startled me. I stepped back to give it some room. "I'd like to bring you to my home, but..." I couldn't. Not with so many Team Plasma members patrolling and the two guards lurking at my front door.

The Vanillite shrunk back and whimpered.

"I won't abandon you," I assured it. "Just... Stay put. I'll be right back," I told it as I ran back towards town. I needed to get it some berries. That was the most I could do for it. Sure, I could look around the forest and hopefully run into a bush, but I didn't want to risk it. Apparently, Cheren and Bianca had luck finding berries, but I saw nothing the few times I was out here.

_'That Vanillite was in terrible shape...' _I thought to myself as I ran. _'I have to make it quick. I don't think it would last long in that condition.'_

When I saw buildings through the trees, I slowed down my pace. Before stepping back into the premises of Nuvema Town, I looked around to make sure no one was watching. It would be pretty suspicious for someone to stroll out from the forest. Seeing no one, I made my way out of the forest and swiftly jogged to my house.

When I reached my front door, there were two different Team Plasma members than this morning. However, their eyes looked bored and didn't pay me much attention.

I bolted through my front door and ran upstairs for my satchel. Once I got it, I ran back down and went to the kitchen counter and slid all of the berries into it. Singling out oran or sitrus berries would take too much time. I bolted out of the front door and apathetically slammed it closed as I jogged back towards the spot I entered the forest. As I left, I could feel the curious and suspicious glares of the two guards watching me.

When I reached the same spot I entered the forest in, I quickly looked around and then entered, sprinting into a run. I tried to remember where I met the Vanillite, and quickly navigated my way through the thicket of trees.

I found the same clearing, with the Vanillite leaning helplessly against one of the trees.

_'Am I too late?!' _I thought fearfully as I bolted for it. I sighed with relief when I saw that it was still breathing. I sat down next to it with crossed legs and took off my satchel. I then picked the Vanillite up.

The Vanillite stiffened in response to my touch, but opening its eyes and seeing that it was me, relaxed and shut them closed.

I placed the Vanillite in my lap and cradled its head with one of my arms. It was chilling to the touch, but the cold was waning. Using my free arm, I reached for my satchel and frisked it over for a healing berry. Seeing an oran berry, I took it out.

"Here. Eat this. You'll feel better," I persuaded it.

The Vanillite weakly opened its mouth and blindly leaned forward to eat whatever I told it. I held the oran berry closer to its mouth. It took a timid bite and swallowed it hard, pausing before taking a more gracious bite.

As it did, some of its wounds started to go away. How berries did that, I would never know.

The Vanillite started to perk up a little and engulfed the rest of the berry. "Van..!" it cried satisfyingly, visually looking better.

"Do you want more?" I asked.

The Vanillite faced me and nodded with a somewhat feeble smile. "Van!"

I grabbed my satchel and rummaged through it for a sitrus berry. Once I found one, I took it and tossed my satchel aside, letting a few berries roll out. I offered it the sitrus berry with an open palm.

"Vanillite!" it exclaimed happily as it engulfed the berry and my hand.

"W-Woah, slow down there little guy!" I teased, surprised that it also bit my hand. "Are you feeling better?" I asked when it spit out my hand.

"Vanillite!" it bellowed as it floated off of my lap and started flying in circles around me.

"Glad to hear it," I replied as I stood up, watching it fly around. _'All of its cuts are gone and it seems that its energy is back... Looks like I made it just in time.'_

"Van!" it thanked me, floating to my eye level. It had a large grin on.

"It was no problem," I assured it. "But... You said you had a trainer... Right?" I asked somewhat reluctantly.

The Vanillite's face froze before going into a depressing frown. "Vanillite..."

"I'm sorry, but... I don't know how we'll find your trainer..." I informed it. "Pokemon are banned in Nuvema Town. I'm alright with punishment, but I don't know what happens to _you_."

The Vanillite whimpered.

"I could try to bring you to Route 1, but that's guarded," I thought out loud. "We can always try going around the forest, but I have no idea where it leads."

"Vanillite!" the Vanillite exclaimed and broke into a smile.

"You have an idea?" I asked it.

"Van!" it nodded.

"Are you going to look for a way around the forest?" I asked it.

"Vanillite!" it nodded.

"Alright. I'd like to help you, but..." I looked down at my Xtransiever. It was already 1:12. I'd been gone for a while; more than I had thought I was.

"Vanillite..!" it hollered, as if knowing that I had somewhere to be.

"Well... If you're still here tomorrow, I'll come back for you and try to help you get out of here," I suggested. "In the meantime, you look for some place that we can get past. Deal?"

"Vanillite!" it nodded ecstatically.

"Alright then, it's a deal!" I echoed. I smiled widely and put out my hand for a handshake, forgetting that Vanillites don't have hands. I sheepishly put it down. "I have to go now, but I'll see you tomorrow. Okay?"

"Van!"

"You're probably going to be bored and hungry out here, so I'll leave you some berries," I told it while I reached for my satchel. Whichever ones fell out earlier, I didn't pick up.

"Van!" it thanked.

"I'll see you tomorrow, alright?" I called at it while I parted. _'But... What if we can't find its trainer? Or worse... Its trainer doesn't want it...'_ I thought sorrowfully. _'In that case... Would capturing such a small pokemon with a heavy ball be worth it?'_

* * *

"Moo Moo Milk, flour, chansey eggs..." I reviewed as I looked in my shopping basket to make sure I got everything. "I'm sure that was it..."

I was in a relatively small grocery store that was probably only about the size of the first floor of my house. It was pretty vacant.

_'As good as poffins are, I can't eat them every day or I'll get sick of it,'_ I thought. _'Plus... I left about half of our berries with Vanillite.'_

I could just imagine getting a harangue from Cheren about the missing berries. Bianca would probably cry. I chuckled at the thought.

"There has to be something I can get on a low budget..." I mused as I scanned the isles of the store.

I heard the door of the store open. "Man, what's with that guy?!" a rather loud voice asked. "It wasn't our fault!"

"That's not the point," a sterner feminine voice scolded. "We let something pass on our watch."

"Well who knew that someone would go to the lab so early in the morning?"

I stiffened. _'Team Plasma?'_ I tried to divert my attention away, but couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"Well the boss is on our hinds now," the feminine voice replied. "You just had to ditch your post, didn't you?"

"Oh, come on! Everyone else was."

"And we're the ones being blamed for it," she shot back. "Haven't you learned not to mess with the system from yesterday?"

"That doesn't mean you had to follow me..."

I stiffened as the footsteps came closer and passed my isle. Luckily, they didn't notice me. Not that they would do anything if they did, but I felt uncomfortable in their presence otherwise. From the corner of my eye, I saw that it was the two grunts that escorted me inside the lab yesterday.

"Because of you, we're stuck being errand boys. Worse than being reprimanded in front of everyone."

I heard rustling from the other side of the shelf.

"Whatever!" he snapped back, clearly agitated by the woman's pestering. "I just don't see what he needs with coffee."

"A lot of people drink coffee."

"But fifteen cartons full of ground coffee?!"

"He's thinking ahead," she retorted. "Unlike you..." she muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Hey!" he snapped. "You know you love as as your partner," he taunted.

"You're holding me back," she stated coldly.

"Alright, alright..! I get it! Just give me a hand, will ya'?" the man asked.

"Right. I got it," she responded lazily.

The rustling stopped after a few seconds and I heard steps going towards the back of the store, followed by the cashier ringing up their items.

"By the way, did you hear?"

"About what?"

"The raid on Accumula Town. It's been postponed."

"Oh yeah, I heard something about that."

"Do you really believe someone has pokemon around here?"

The woman paused. "No. But even if I did, we shouldn't stop our plans for just a few pokemon."

"Yeah," the man agreed. "But Lord N wants to liberate those pokemon first. He thinks it wouldn't be fair leaving them behind."

"Apparently, if we don't find the trainer by tomorrow, he's going to come here personally."

_'Intriguing...' _I thought sinisterly._  
_

"That sounds kinda exciting, don't you think?" He sounded genuinely intrigued.

"As much as it does," the woman agreed, "it wouldn't look very good for us."

"All done..." the cashier timidly cut in.

"Let's just get outa' here. He's going to throw a tantrum if we aren't back with his tons of coffee."

"And that I concur with."

I saw the two grunts pass my isle with a couple of bags and heard them exit the store. I was about to follow them until I remembered the basket I was holding. _'Dang it... Looks like I'll have to eavesdrop another time.'_

I curiously went into the opposite isle and looked on the shelf. True to what I overheard, they did take coffee. All except one can, which I took for myself as a mock souvenir.

I walked over to the cashier. "Just these."

"Oh, alright..." she answered timidly.

I placed my basket over the counter. The cashier dutifully checked out my items into bags.

"Do they come here often?" I reluctantly asked. _'Since I can't stalk those two around, maybe she'll have some answers...'_

She shyly nodded.

"You don't seem too happy about it," I observed.

"N-No, it's not that. It's just that... Uh..."

"They make you nervous or something?"

"Yeah... And they took my partner from me."

"Oh... Sorry about that," I apologized. _'At least one person in this town feels bad about this whole fiasco. Everyone else seems to be convinced that this was a good thing.'_

"We were really good friends..." she continued. "Oh, I'm sorry for ranting on," she deplored, and started bagging my items at a faster pace.

"It's alright," I replied. "You actually remind me of a friend of mine," I added in. "Both of us lost all of our pokemon."

"Oh... I'm sorry for you too," she apologized further as she finished bagging my items.

"It's alright," I replied, feeling somewhat guilty for lying. "So Team Plasma comes in here often?"

"Well... It's only been two days, but we get members continually coming in here to run errands."

"I see," I replied. "I suppose they don't bring in any good stories, do they?" I joked. In actuality, I was hoping she'd reveal something.

"Actually... Yesterday I heard them talking about something."

I mentally smirked. "Hm? About what?" I asked, feigning my casualness.

"Well... They moved some people out of Nuvema Town," she told me. "Apparently, they were threatening the peace."

_'It can't be my mom...' _I tried to convince myself. I started to get a little scared now. "Where did they move them?" I asked, barely hiding my anxiety.

"I don't know actually," the cashier thought to herself. "All I know is that they didn't hurt them or anything."

I felt somewhat relieved, but not relieved enough. "Do you know why?" I pushed.

The cashier visibly tensed. "U-Um... I-I think because they were the families of two trainers here who Team Plasma is suspicious of... I'm sure you overheard, but a trainer here still has pokemon."

"But why did they move the families?" I asked, quelling my voice. I didn't want to make her nervous.

"On their way out... I think they said something about making sure they didn't conspire, or something..." she replied, but mostly to herself. Realization hit her face. "Don't tell me... Are you one of those trainers?" she asked with sympathy in her voice.

"I... Think so," I answered unsurely.

"Oh... I'm sorry for bringing it up..."

"No, don't be," I assured her. "I pressed for it."

"I don't blame you," she encouraged me. "I would've too."

"I just don't get it though..." I went on, mostly to myself. "Why her and not me?"

The cashier chose not to respond, but looked like she had an answer.

"Thank you, again."

"No problem... Come back any time!" she replied timidly.

"Thanks," I waved as I walked out of the store. 'I _swear, if she didn't have ginger hair, she'd be Bianca's clone. Wait... Ginger?' _I looked back at her. _'Nah... I'm just being paranoid,' _I thought, laughing at the fact that I suspected something because of her hair.

* * *

"So what did you do today, Hilda?" Bianca asked.

"Nothing much... I just walked around town and bought the poffin stuff," I replied, choosing not to tell them about Vanillite or the information I overheard about N coming to Nuvema. If Cheren knew, he'd probably make some convoluted plan to somehow ambush him, which would most likely end up in our loss.

"Nothing else..?" Cheren asked unbelievingly.

"No. Why do you ask?" I responded nonchalantly.

"I recall having a lot more berries that this..." Cheren observed as he looked over the berries on the counter.

"Now that you say it... So do I!" Bianca agreed.

"Oh... Well, I... Was kinda hungry earlier," I answered. Thankfully, the questioning tone in my voice came off as sheepishness.

Cheren sighed. "As I recall informing you, we're on a limited budget," he reminded.

"It's alright, Cheren! We found tons more earlier," Bianca cut in.

"I suppose you're right..."

"Hilda, you drink coffee?" Bianca asked as she rummaged over the grocery contents.

"I-I was planning to start," I replied.

Cheren looking unconvinced.

"I mean, so many people drink it..." I offered diffidently.

"Uh huh..." Cheren muttered, unconvinced. "Beside the point, I don't suppose you have any interesting information?"

"Huh? Information?" Bianca asked curiously.

"I asked Hilda to spy on some Team Plasma grunts," Cheren explained. So much for keeping it clandestine from Bianca.

"Oh... That. I didn't get to that," I admitted with embarrassment. "But I did overhear some interesting things while I was grocery shopping."

"Like what?" Bianca asked.

Cheren and I walked over to the counter to help Bianca start putting away the groceries.

"N is coming to Nuvema," I told them. _'Wait... Crud! I wasn't supposed to tell them that...' _I cursed at myself.

Cheren's head shot up. "When?" he asked, probably more anxiously than he had hoped.

"I don't know... Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow," I told him as I carried some cartons of chansey eggs to the fridge. "I didn't get to hear much. They left before I could hear any more."

"Couldn't you follow them?" Bianca asked.

"Well... I had things on my hand and I didn't want to be mistaken as a thief..."

Cheren sighed. "Well, it's good enough for now..."

"You aren't going to try anything, right?" I asked as I finished putting in the eggs. I moved aside for Bianca to put in the Moo Moo Milk and watched Cheren as he stocked the pantry with flour.

"I will if the situation calls for it," he answered, not caring to look at me.

"Cheren, you're going to _lose_. All you have is a Mincinno," I reminded him. "An inexperienced one at that. By the way, how's the training?"

"We're really grinding levels!" Bianca answered. "We've been training his Mincinno non stop for the past two days."

"Yes. He's certainly improved greatly," Cheren repeated. He finished stocking the flour and moved to the living room area. Bianca followed him. "Bianca's pokemon probably earned a few experience, but they already have a strong prowess."

"Come on out, Musharna!" Bianca called as she tossed her pokeball in the air. In a flash of red light, the Musharna materialized and settled on the couch, clearly exhausted.

Cheren held up his own pokeball and summoned Mincinno, who feebly climbed onto the couch and collapsed.

I walked over to the fridge and grabbed two bottles of Moo Moo Milk and walked over to hand them to Bianca and Cheren. They took them without taking their eyes off of their pokemon and immediately gave it to them.

Musharna and Mincinno perked up instantly and started surveying the house, playing together.

"Musharna, I'm so glad you're better!" Bianca explained.

"Check your volume, Bianca," Cheren warned her. "Remember that Team Plasma is outside."

Bianca's face went pale. "Oh no! What if they heard?!"

"Just stay calm."

"A-Alright..." Bianca stuttered while she took out her pokeball. "Sorry, Musharna, but you have to go back now," she apologized as she called back Musharna to its pokeball.

Cheren followed her example by calling back Mincinno.

"I hope we don't have to hide them like this for long..." Bianca moped.

"Me too," I agreed. "I haven't even been able to let my pokemon out of their pokeballs for two days."

"You will soon," Cheren said. "You said N was coming?" he asked to clarify.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "But he has a Zekrom and you have a Mincinno."

"That doesn't mean that we can't do anything else."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"

"If N is coming, he's bound to attract a lot of attention," Cheren explained.

"Oh, I see!" Bianca cut in happily. "We can take the time to escape into Route 1!"

"Exactly my point," Cheren confirmed.

"Hm... I don't know. It's kinda risky, don't you think?" I asked.

"It's risky enough keeping pokemon with us," he reminded me.

"Plus... We need this time to get some backup and run Team Plasma out of here," Bianca added in, agreeing with Cheren. "I can contact the gym leaders to help us clear them out."

"But you do have a point," Cheren considered my point. He turned to Bianca. "Alright, Bianca. What do you say we try this?"

"Just us?" Bianca asked.

"If we're caught, we'll most likely have to battle, in which case I hope N doesn't notice."

"Ah, I see," I mused. "If you're caught, you're going to try and battle your way out. But if N comes, you peacefully surrender. But since it's just you two and not me..."

"Oh... So we always have a backup plan!" Bianca scrutinized.

Cheren nodded. "And if we _do _escape to Route 1, we can always round up the gym leaders like you said. In addition, we have Hilda here on the inside."

"That's clever, Cheren!" Bianca complemented.

"But Bianca... Are you sure you want to go through with this?" I asked skeptically.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, you are quite fond of your Musharna..." Cheren cited.

"Oh..." she sighed in a melancholic fashion. She then took out her pokeball from her hat and looked at it. "I am. But I was also fond of my other pokemon, and I don't ever want anyone to feel this way. To be separated from their friends."

"So I can consider you in on the plan?" Cheren asked to confirmed.

Bianca sternly nodded her head. "Even if Musharna's taken away from me... I know we'll meet again. Just like all of my other pokemon."

"Now that that's settled," Cheren cut in.

The three of us turned our heads in the direction of the kitchen and darkly looked at the poffin maker.

I smirked. "Heh. Alright. Let's do this."

* * *

**UNARY TACTIC : END  
**

* * *

I know this seemed kinda rushed and sloppy, but I really don't know what else to write.

So N will be coming in two chapters. I think I said he was originally supposed to come in chapter 2, but it seemed to early.

I actually can't think of any other author's notes I can put.

Thanks for reading, and please review if you feel I could improve on something.


	4. The Wary Panacea

**Chapter 4 : The Wary Panacea**

* * *

"So... Should we do it?" I asked tepmtingly

"It seems rather unnecessary..."

"Oh, come on, it'll be fun..." I urged.

"But-"

"Of course," I sighed dishonestly. "You're too dull to know what fun is."

"Well..." Cheren pondered. He sighed in defeat. "I can't wait forever," he finally stated. He looked at me with disbelief. "But do we have to do it this way..?"

"Well, no. But this way is fun."

Cheren sighed again. "Alright. But I'm not going to be as enthusiastic about this as you will..."

"Your approval is good enough," I jokingly praised, as I walked over to my closet for the white jacket I never wore. I put it on, lifting the hood above my head. _'With Bianca in such a sleepy state, she won't be able to tell who I am...'_

I crept back to her sleeping form on the bed. Cheren gave me a look that said "you're an idiot" and apathetically put his hands behind him, waiting for me to grasp them.

Suppressing a laugh, I smirked and grasped Cheren's arms with one hand. I then struck the bed ruthlessly with the other, making sure to just barely miss Bianca's body.

"GAH!" Bianca jolted up and looked at us, somewhat in a daze.

"We know you have pokemon," I stated sinisterly while shaking Cheren, much to his vexation.

"Run. Don't look back." Cheren's voice was drenched in apathy. The look on his face was sheer aloofness.

_'Nice acting,'_ I thought unimpressed, nudging him in the back in response of his lack of an attempt. He couldn't see my scowl directed to him, but I knew he knew it was there.

"NOO! DON'T TAKE MUSHARNA!" Bianca cried as she groped for the pokeball under her pillow and clutched it to her body. She was on the verge of tears when she rubbed her eyes. They immediately widened. "H-Hilda..?"

That second, I let go of Cheren's arms, which fell limp, and started laughing like a maniac. This probably wasn't as funny as I thought it was, but simple things amuse simple minds.

Bianca's face turned red and she started tearing. "I-I thought you were T-Team Plasma..!" she stuttered. Wiping her few tears, she looked at Cheren, almost skeptically. "Ch-Cheren..? You too?"

Cheren looked away and sighed, bumping up his glasses. "I only needed to wake you up, but Hilda insisted that we go through with this antic."

"And it would've been funnier if you actually tried," I ruefully informed Cheren, belting my last laugh.

"Wake me up..? What time is it?" she asked curiously, completely forgetting the events of only a minute ago.

"Twelve," I told her as I took off my jacket and threw it back into the closet. I held out a hand to help her out of bed.

"Wh-What?" she asked, clearly embarrassed. "I-I'm so sorry guys..." she apologized as she took my hand and stood up from bed.

"No matter," Cheren responded. "We'll just go now. Hilda and I already made poffins for breakfast, so you wouldn't mind eating along the way, would you?" he asked.

"Not at all!" Bianca replied gleefully. "But you didn't have to wait so long to wake me up."

"Nah, it's all good," I assured her. "We've been up pretty late the past few nights," I reminisced, thinking about last night when the poffin bowl spun out of control and whipped batter in Cheren's unsuspecting face.

"We'll be taking our leave now," Cheren interrupted, walking towards the stairs. "I assume you know what to do today, Hilda?"

"Yup," I affirmed. "See if I can dig up anything on Team Plasma."

"But remember, your cover is priority," he reminded. "Don't risk too much to try and learn something."

"Got it."

"Alright, I'm ready!" Bianca informed us, putting her pokeball in her hat. "Let's go Cheren. Bye Hilda!" she called out as she descended the stairs.

"Be seeing you," Cheren greeted goodbye as he followed Bianca downstairs.

After they were completely down the stairs, I crouched down to get one of my pokeballs from under the bed. I chose Stoutland's and put it in my hat. I looked in a mirror to see if it was noticeable. After playing around with the position for a while, I was finally content. I grabbed my satchel and headed downstairs.

I walked to the counter and slid half of the unkept berries into my satchel. I slid the strap onto my shoulder and made my way out the door. The guards didn't acknowledge me for once, but I didn't think much of it.

I casually strolled down the streets of Nuvema Town, my mind a blank. I kept going until I reached a familiar sight and headed for the border of Nuvema Town. Looking both ways, I entered the forest.

As I aimlessly walked about, trying to navigate my way to the small clearing, I kept my eye out for berries, but saw none. When I found the clearing, my mind snapped back into reality.

I put my satchel down and went to the middle of the small open area. "Vanillite?" I called out as I looked around the clearing. "Huh... Where did it go?" Suddenly, I noticed movement coming from inside my satchel. Smirking, I quietly approached it. When I got close enough, I snapped my hands to it.

"VANN!" an alarmed voice bawled as Vanillite shot out from my satchel and flew up in the air a few feet.

I looked up at it and gave a friendly laugh.

"Vanillite!" it trilled happily, realizing it was only me, and floated back down to my eye level. "Vanillite, van!" it exclaimed happily.

"Glad to see you too," I replied. "Did you find anything?" I asked.

Vanillite nodded proudly and drifted past me. It stopped in place after a few feet and turned back to face me. "Vann!" it urged me to follow it.

"Alright, just let me get my stuff," I told it as I crouched back down to pick up my satchel, which was significantly lighter. "Huh?" I wondered as I looked inside. Instead of seeing a myriad of berries, there was only one. I turned around to look at an embarrassed Vanillite. "You ate all of it," I stated coldly.

"Vann..."

* * *

"Are you sure it's this way?" I asked skeptically. "We've been walking for a good..." I hesitated to look at my Xtransiever for the time. "Fifteen minutes."

"Van..!" it retorted, sure of itself.

"Alright..." I responded.

"Van!" it exclaimed excitedly and sped forward.

"Hey... Wait a second!" I called for it, surprised at its sudden increase in speed. The trees started disappearing, and then there were none.

"Vanillite," it bragged, looking at me with a content face.

"Alright, alright. I shouldn't have doubted you," I admitted, putting my hands up in mock defense. I took a look at our surroundings.

A fence was to my right. It seemed as if the original color was white, but as of now, the color was off, as if it hadn't been attended to in a long time. There were grass patches, but none of it was rustling. There also seemed to be small hills that wouldn't take much work to climb up; they were only about my height.

To the left, there were ledges. Below it was sand, and the whole land itself was surrounded by water. There were patches of trees here and there.

Ahead, I saw a sign and a route house. Curious, I walked over to the sign. It didn't seem old, but the dirt and chipping in it made it appear aged. The paint on the sign was slightly eroding, but was in a good enough condition for me to read.

"Route 1..." I read out loud. _'What..?'_ I thought, confused. '_This isn't Route _1..."

Still befuddled, I walked over to the route house, which strangely wasn't emitting any light. I sensed Vanillite lurking behind me.

Inside, the tiles' colors were slightly dulled and the wallpaper seemed to have paled. The map monitor and electric bulletin board were off. Behind the counter. there was no one. The chairs, trashcans, and information mats were missing.

"That's strange..." I thought out loud as I continued walking through it, examining every detail as I did. I gave the route house one last glance before leaving through the other side.

Upon exiting, I saw stairs at my feet that seemed to not have been used for years. It led to a small patch of sand, surrounded by water. There were a few boulders around. What caught my eye was another seemingly aged sign. I walked over to it.

"Route 17... Beware of rapidly flowing water..." I read out loud, squinting at certain parts where the letters were chipped off. "Oh wait... Can this be..?" I wondered.

"Vann?" Vanillite asked curiously.

"Route 17 is an abandoned route," I explained. "Since there aren't any pokemon or points of interest past here, part of Route 1 was cut off," I explained. "No one's really been here since."

"Vanillite..." the Vanillite sighed in awe.

"Though I wonder... Even if there weren't any pokemon around here, why abandon it?"

"Vanillite," it responded, using a tone as if to suggest it didn't know.

I looked to the left and saw rapidly speeding currents. "Oh, right... 'Beware of rapidly flowing water.'"

"Van!" Vanillite exclaimed in surprise, just noticing the speed of the water next to us.

I let out a chuckle, but then stopped upon remembering why we were out here in the first place. "Vanillite..." I called its attention sadly. "I don't think your trainer is going to be here."

"Van..?" it asked sadly, wearing a face that showed horror.

I flinched at its strong response. "No one has been here for a while. I don't think your trainer would be here."

"Vanillite..." it whimpered cheerlessly, glancing down at the ground in melancholy.

"Don't worry, though," I assured it. "I'm sure we'll find your trainer!" I continued with a tone of determination.

Vanillite smiled slightly. After it blinked, it went back to its regular cheerful self and floated back to my side. "Vanillite!" it exclaimed, echoing my determined tone.

"Right. We can't give up!" I continued on, intent on lifting its spirits.

"Vanillite!"

"That's the spirit!" I complemented. Then, something clicked in my mind. I was reluctant to bring it up, but I had to. "Um... Vanillite..."

"Van?"

"When you got lost, was your trainer in Nuvema Town..?" I asked reluctantly.

"Vanillite." It nodded and looked at me curiously.

"Three days ago?"

"Van..." It nodded again. "Vanillite?"

I turned away, unable to meet its eyes. "I don't think you'll be able to see your trainer again."

Vanillite's face went into bafflement and terror. "Vanillite!" it objected, now somewhat angry.

"No, your trainer didn't abandon you..." I continued. "You see, in Nuvema Town, trainers were separated from their pokemon."

"Vanillite..." The Vanillite didn't seemed surprised. It seemed as if it was just urging me to go on.

"But you can't go back to your trainer," I added. "It's not allowed."

"Van..!" Vanillite shook its head vehemently. "Vanillite!" it exclaimed, pointing its glare in the direction of the ongoing route.

"You want to keep going?" I asked it.

"Van..." it replied, nodding, without bothering to face me again.

I contemplated it for a second. _'There's definitely nothing past here, but...'_ I shot a glance at Vanillite's eager face. "Alright! I like your attitude!" I replied with a persistent voice, intent on lifting his spirits._ 'At the very least, it'll appease Vanillite... After all, I just dropped a bomb on it.'_

"Vanillite!" it answered back with a fiery passion.

I smirked. "Alright then, let's go!" I roared.

"Vanillite!" it blustered and trekked over the water with its levitation.

"Eheheh... But first..." I cut in, sheepishly. I took the pokeball from in my hat.

"Vanillite..?" it asked suspiciously when it saw me with a pokeball.

"Yes, trainers were separated from their pokemon, but I escaped just in time," I informed it. "They're my friends... I wouldn't let them down."

A look of understanding and approval came upon Vanillite's face.

"Come on out, Stoutland!" I called out, throwing the pokeball in the air.

With a blast of red light, Stoutland materialized. At the sight of seeing me, Stoutland yipped with joy and tackled me to the ground, licking my face.

"Haha! Yeah, I know. I missed you too!" I greeted it. I was petting him and trying to get him off of me at the same time. After Stoutland finally calmed down, I sat up and continued to pet him. "I'm sorry I couldn't let you out... If I did, they'd take you away."

Stoutland yelped in understanding.

Then, I remembered Vanillite was floating around. It was looking at us with deep curiosity.

"Oh... Stoutland can learn surf, so he's going to help us get past these rapid waters," I explaimed.

Vanillite curiously floated down to Stoutland's eye level. "Vanillite..?" it asked curiously.

Stoutland sniffed Vanillite before snarling in approval and smiling.

Vanillite returned its smile, seemingly happy at making a new friend.

"Alright, now... It's got to be around here somewhere..." I muttered to myself, rustling through my satchel. "Aha! Here it is," I exclaimed in "victory," pulling out an HM containing surf. I only had a few TM's and HM's because most of them were in my PC. Luckily, I had just what we needed. "Now that we're out in the open with no one around, I can finally use this!"

"Vanillite..?" it asked with a questioning tone.

Stoutland, however, nodded in approval. He has used a TM before, so this was nothing really new to him.

I ran a distance away and placed the HM disk right next to the shore. I ran backwards and stopped when I was a foot away from entering the route house. "Vanillite, come over here," I told it.

"Vanillite..." it pondered, flying over to me. It was clear from its facial expression that it was confused about what was going to happen.

"Now..." I pondered which move to forget. "Got it. Ready Stoutland?"

Stoutland gave a determined bark.

"Alright!" I called out. "Stoutland, use Last Resort on the HM!"

Stoutland roared as it charged at the HM with all of his might. When he was a short distance from impact, Stoutland jumped into the air and did a nose dive into the HM. Upon impact, stars shot out from the touch in all different directions. I felt a gentle wind coming from the blow. A second later, light beams shot out from the HM disk and engulfed Stoutland, who started to glow white.

"...Vanillite! Van!" Vanillite exclaimed, alarmed by the immense power that was going on. There was a look of worry on its face.

"Don't worry, Stoutland is okay," I assured it.

"Van..." Vanillite whimpered unsurely, its eyes slanting into deeper worry.

After a few seconds, Stoutland's glowing form gracefully landed on the ground and the light died down.

"Great job!" I complimented, racing to his side.

Vanillite followed behind me.

"Vanillite?" it asked Stoutland.

Stoutland grumbled something and then shook its head nonchalantly.

"Van!" Vanillite gleefully bellowed. It was probably worried that Stoutland was hurt, but happy to know that he wasn't.

I crouched down to pick up the HM and put it into my satchel. "Alright Stoutland, let's see if this worked."

Stoutland barked in agreement.

I jumped back a few paces. Vanillite drifted my way. "Stoutland! Last Resort!"

Stoutland barked, and tried to charge forward, but stopped short. He turned around and looked at me, shaking his head.

"Good! Now surf!"

Stoutland put its front legs in the air.

"Wait, wait! The other way!" I ordered hurriedly.

Stoutland sheepishly dropped to the floor and turned around. He barked excitedly again before standing on its hind legs. A massive body of water materialized behind him and barraged in the direction Stoutland was facing. The water from surf washed over the shore, even diverting the path of the water current while the attack was going on.

"Good job!" I praised it.

Stoutland barked, clearly pleased at its new prowess.

"Vanillite! Van!" Vanillite exclaimed happily as it floated to Stoutland's side, congratulating it on a new move learned.

Stoutland coolly brushed off any praise. He was never a braggart.

I adressed Vanillite. "Before we go, I just have to tell you. Don't tell anyone we were here, okay? Or that I have Stoutland with me," I told it. I didn't actually believe it could tell anyone, but who knows? Maybe it would lead someone back to me.

"Van!" Vanillite exclaimed, nodding in understanding.

"Alright, now that we're all set, let's get going!" I exclaimed as I jumped on Stoutland's back.

Stoutland slumped to the ground and huffed in annoyance. Clearly he wasn't ready for me to get on his back.

"Alright, Stoutland!" I started, suppressing a laugh and pointing my finger towards the direction of the first path of rapid water. "Use surf!"

* * *

Stoutland wasn't completely used to using surf yet. The two of us plundered into a few boulders and crash landed onto small shores from the rapid waters, much to Vanillite's horror. There was also the few instances where Stoutland flew into the air due to some conveniently placed smooth rocks, making the three of us scream in terror. However, we all took it jocosely.

Our destination didn't show anything interesting. There were a lot of stairs and even an abandoned house, but it was nothing worth stopping for. Eventually we came to another coastline, nearly identical, but with different current patterns. By this time, the sky was already darkening.

"Shall we?" I asked, nudging Stoutland with a smirk.

"Van..!" Vanillite protested by shaking its head vigorously, obviously caring for our safety.

Stoutland and I shot each other a look before I jumped on him and he canon-balled into the water, much to Vanillite's astonishment.

"Surf! That way, Stoutland!" I commanded as we surfed into the middle current.

"Van!" Vanillite cried as it caught up to us, resting on my lap. It gave a sigh of relief when if finally caught up.

Its cold body sent a shiver down my spine, but I was too busy getting a kick out of surfing. This was something I should've taught Stoutland a long time ago.

"Wait a second... Is that a-AAAACK!" I screeched as we were lifted into the air by a slippery rock.

"Van..!" Vanillite cried out as it shrunk into my lap.

Stoutland gave a surprised huff.

As we landed in the water with a great splash, the three of us were sprayed with water. Before I could even finish spewing out the water that went in my mouth, we were already in another water current.

"Are you serio-GACK!" I tried to say, but got the air kicked out of me when we went airborne again.

"VAAN!" Vanillite cried out.

Stoutland growled.

When we landed again, I knew we were in another current by the way our direction twisted, and just our overall speed. My eyes were still closed to try and keep the salt water out.

As crazy as this was, I was actually getting a thrill out of the danger. This probably went on for around another minute. Since I couldn't open my eyes due to the salt water, I held onto Stoutland's fur for dear life, making sure that neither I or Vanillite could fall off.

Finally, we plopped in the water harder that usual, crashing a wave of strong water into our faces; strong enough that Stoutland was pushed back a few feet and I almost fell off. Then, we were still. After I was positive we were done moving, I loosened my grip on both Stoutland and Vanillite and wiped my eyes with my hands that were somehow still dry.

_'I haven't been smacked in the face with such a force since Skyla's gym...'_ I thought humorously. Then, I realized that I was completely drenched. _'If we weren't wet earlier, we are now... Oh well, it's sunny out. We'll air dry._'

I coughed out a little water that had managed to go down my throat. Then, I noticed that Vanillite was shaking in my lap.

"Vanillite... Are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

Stoutland turned his head back, as if waiting for an answer as well.

"Van..." it whimpered, but nodded its head yes, clearly traumatized. It slowly ascended from my lap and flew unsteadily to the sandy shore that was a few feet from us.

"Haha!" I laughed. "We should do this again sometime!"

Stoutland huffed and shook me off of his back, submerging me into the water.

Surprised, I randomly groped the air, or water, and then instinctively shut my eyes due to the salt water in my eyes. I blindly swam up, gasping for air once I hit the surface.

"Vanillite!" I heard Vanillite cry out in concern.

"I'm... I'm okay!" I confirmed as I swam to shore.

Stoutland looked at me with a sadistically content facial expression.

I scowled as I passed him.

It was a little hard walking with drenched clothes and a drenched satchel. However, I didn't have much time to think about that.

Out of no where, from the near horizon, a few bursts of fire erupted.

Before any of us could react, Vanillite was hit directly in the face.

"VAA!" it cried, as it was shot back a few feet before finally falling to the ground and skidding right up to the shoreline.

I gasped. Stoutland growled.

"Wait," I snapped. "If there are people here, we don't want trouble," I explained as I bolted for Vanillite's body.

Stoutland followed me, but occasionally sent a few glances backwards.

I picked up Vanillite, who was still breathing, but was in even worse shape than when I found it.

"The berries!" I thought out loud as I eagerly rummaged through my satchel. I felt both angry and crestfallen when all I saw was a pecha berry. "Why?! I took about half of them!" Then I remembered; Vanillite ate them all. I'd usually make a joke out of that, but Vanillite needed some intensive care.

Stoutland seemed to understand, as he pawed at my shoulder.

"Right... Let's go, and quickly," I agreed, cautiously looking back at where the bursts of fire came from.

Stoutland got in the water and waited for me to hop on his back.

I jogged over to him with Vanillite trembling in my arms. Before going on him, I took one last glace at the source of the fire. "That was definitely a pokemon's attack... But it wasn't intended for us. Then what's going on?"

Stoutland barked, bringing me back to reality.

"Right," I said as I jumped on his back, Vanillite in my arms, and commanded him to go as fast as he could.

* * *

Surfing the way back took only a few seconds; there was a current that carried us straight back to the beginning of Route 17. As soon as we reached land, I immediately recalled Stoutland back into his pokeball, apologizing as I did.

I bolted through the route house and sped right back into the forest. The whole thing was a blur. At some point, I checked my Xtransiever for the time. It read 8:39, but the sky was still orange, as if the sunset just began.

I barely knew Vanillite, but I had already grown attached to it. I saw it as a friend, despite what little time we spent together. And therefore, Vanillite was my responsibility. It was in pain, and it needed help.

Before I knew it, I found myself at the edge of town already, the Vanillite breathing slowly in my arms. I skipped right to the trees that were by my house, making the trip a bit shorter, but...

_'How am I going to get it home..?_' I wondered. _'I can't exactly stroll in there with a pokemon in my arms...'_ Peering past a few trees, I saw a few Team Plasma members in the distance mixed in with some regular civilians; some standing watch and some wandering about. _'Leaving Vanillite in the forest again just won't sit right with me... So what now?'_

Looking down, I saw my satchel. With the exception of the pecha berry and a few TM's and an HM, it was relatively empty. There was enough space to fit in a small pokemon, just like Vanillite.

_'I'm sorry,'_ I silently apologized to it as I stuffed the Vanillite in my satchel.

"Vaa..." it moaned, as if telling me it was okay. It's eyes cracked open for only a second.

"Don't worry," I assured it, looking down at its scathed face. "I took a shortcut home... My house it right there, across the path being guarded. Then I'll help you..."

I closed my satchel, and felt grateful that my clothes and satchel had dried on the way here. Glancing both ways to see if anyone was near me, I walked into town.

Although I tried to walk as fast as I could, my body was tense with anxiety. _'Just a few more yards...'_ I told myself. I couldn't just sprint into a run; it would seem rather out of place to be walking one second and running for dear life the next.

"Um... Excuse me, but would you be so kind as to answer a few questions of mine?" a voice asked from behind me.

_'I guess I have to...' _I thought ruefully, as I turned around. Then, my sanity dropped.

"You see... There is a trainer who still has pokemon, and we've been trying very hard to find that person. Do you know anything?" he continued. "Don't worry, Team Plasma won't take anything against you. As its leader, I'll make sure of it."

_'Are you kidding me..! This is the worst possible time for N to show up!' _I thought disbelievingly. Despite this, I was able to hide my surprise in both my voice and my face. _'Alright, stay calm... He probably won't see Vanillite...'_ Under any other circumstance, I would find his presence rather amusing, but now...

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Um, yeah... I don't know anything," I said. "Sorry, but good luck!" I told him as I attempted to turn around and walk away, but he spoke before I could.

"Thank you... But you look familiar. Have we met?" He asked, eying my face.

"Uh..." I shrunk back a little in response of him observing my face. "I'm not sure. I saw you a few days ago making that speech, but that's it," I lied, backing away slowly. _'We only met once in Accumula Town... It isn't much to remember, anyway.'_

"Oh, I see... I'm sorry for bothering your day," he apologized as he tipped his cap. "You see, I just can't let this kind of crime go against a friend."

Suddenly, my satchel moved a little.

I tensed up. _'Oh, no... Vanillite, please hang in there for a while..!'_ I hoped that N didn't notice. I tried walking away in order to evade confronting it, but he seemed to notice.

"Huh?" he wondered out loud. "Did your bag just move?"

_'Dang it!' _I thought, both angrily and chagrined. "No... I think it just shifted when I started walking away." Though my tone was leveled, I felt my eyes widen slightly. "You see, I have some errands I need to do."

"Oh, my sincerest apologies..."

Vanillite moved around in the satchel again, though with more motivation.

_'No..! He definitely saw it that time!'_

"Huh? It moved again."

"No, no... Well, I'm sorry I couldn't be much more of a help, but I really have to-" I stopped in my tracks when I felt my satchel lighten. _'Don't tell me..!' _I thought, horrified. _'Vanillite! No..! You don't know what Team Plasma might do to you!' _I could handle the punishment, but I didn't want to think of what could possibly happen to Vanillite. This whole "pokemon liberation" thing seemed like a giant calumny.

There wasn't anything severe Team Plasma could do anyway. After all, they are fighting for a peace of some sort, but through aggressive actions. Some of which involved stealing pokemon, contrary to popular belief, and who knew what happened to them?

"Vaan..." Vanillite moaned as it emerged from my satchel, unevenly levitating.

"V-Vanillite!" N exclaimed as he took Vanillite into his arms. He immediately cradled it, and then looked at me with a face of pure disgust.

_'Don't tell me... Is he Vanillite's trainer?!' _I thought, baffled. "Wait a se-"

"You... Despicable!" N spat. "Look at what you did to this pokemon! This is why they must be liberated!"

"W-"

"I can never let this pass! How many more pokemon have you kidnapped?!" he demanded, but didn't wait for an answer. "I will sweep you before me!" he roared, taking out a pokeball from his back pocket. "Now..! You must have more pokemon! Where are they?!"

From the corners of my eyes, I realized we were attracting attention; more specifically, Team Plasma grunts that were passing by. "Hold on, I-"

"Vaann..." Vanillite moaned in his arms. "Van... Vanillite..."

"..." He looked down at Vanillite with consummate surprise. N's face quelled as he put the pokeball back into his pocket.

"...What?" I muttered to myself, curious of N's sudden mood change.

"Is that so..?"

"Vann..." Vanillite nodded weakly.

N looked up at me with a face void of emotions. "You. Come with me," he simply stated as he pulled my arm and ran to my house. Before I could even protest, we jolted through the door, surprising the Team Plasma grunts guarding my house in response.

As soon as we were in my house, N let go of my hand and sprinted for the couch. He laid Vanillite down carefully.

"W-Wait, what's going-"

"Do you have anything to help him?" he asked me, a deep look of concern and despair on his face.

I was a bit taken back by his sudden change in demeanor, but understood the urgency in his voice. "U-Uh... Yeah," I said nervously as I dashed for the refrigerator, taking out a few bottles of Moo Moo Milk. It was a good thing that I bought about two crates worth yesterday.

I rushed back to the couch and handed the bottles to N, who immediately popped off the cap. Then, he sat down next to Vanillite and took it into his arms.

"Here, drink this..." he said soothingly as he brought the bottle of Moo Moo Milk to Vanillite's lips. As Vanillite slowly gulped down the Moo Moo Milk, N turned to talk to me. "Please, do sit down... This is your house, after all."

"Oh, right..." I responded as I took the seat that Vanillite was previously lying on.

N looked back down at Vanillite, but continued to speak to me. "I'm truly sorry for intruding," he apologized, "but Vanillite told me that you were helping him, and that your house was close by..."

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked, confused. He said that Vanillite told him, but...

"You... We've met before," he said, not answering my question. "You're that trainer from Accumula Town."

"Yeah, I am..."

"It's a shame that you were forced to part with your pokemon," he continued. "You were the only trainer that I've met so far whose pokemon said something like that..."

"What do you mean?" I repeated.

"I believe that at the time I've told you that your pokemon were talking."

"And you said that we couldn't hear them," I recalled, coming to a conclusion.

N nodded, his eyes still not moving from Vanillite. "I'm sure by now you've figured it out, but I can speak to pokemon."

"I see..." I wasn't sure on whether to believe him or not, but I chose to. After all, how else would he know that I was helping Vanillite rather than harming him? And that my house was near by. With N in my house, there were so many things I could do. Perhaps a battle? But I decided that now wasn't the time, so I decided to salvage whatever information I could get out of him. "So is this the pokemon you were looking for?"

"The pokemon..?"

"Yeah... You said you came back because a trainer had pokemon yet to be liberated," I explained. "Of course, I didn't kidnap him..." I added in hurriedly.

"Oh, that..." he murmured, then shook his head. "I've chosen to trust you, so I'll tell you what's actually going on," he said as the bottle of Moo Moo Milk ran out. I handed him the other one that I grabbed, and he took it, muttering a "thank you" as he continued to feed the enervated Vanillite.

"What do you mean?" I asked skeptically.

"Well, yes, it is true that a trainer still has pokemon," N explained. "There were some of Team Plasma that reported a trainer escaping with pokemon. However, I was unable to come to their aid. You see, I was in a predicament myself."

"You were battling Cheren and Bianca..." I concluded to myself.

"Yes, I believe those were their names..." N nodded, a look of worry on his face. Whether it was for Vanillite or something else, I couldn't tell. "And 'Cheren,' was it? I believe meeting him in Accumula Town as well..." he continued, but more to himself than me. He spoke to me again. "The seven sages came up with three prime suspects. The three strongest trainers in Nuvema Town, who also happened to be friends."

"So that would be me, Cheren, and Bianca?" I asked, despite already knowing the answer. _'Whoever these 'seven sages' are, they definitely hit the mark... And even if they didn't it'd be a pretty good deduction. Friends do conspire, after all...' _I then shook the thoughts from my head. I was getting off topic.

"Right. Though I didn't know it was you at the time," he explained. "If I did, it would make you even more of a prime subject."

I wanted to ask why, but N looked like he had more to say, and I didn't want to cut off any potentially important information. Cheren would have my head if he learned that at the end of the day, I learned nothing about Team Plasma's motives.

"As you can see, the seven sages insisted on keeping you together, so that surveillance would be easier."

"But that doesn't explain why your Vanillite is here... Were you even looking for him?" I asked, trying to keep my voice leveled. It irked me that N could have possibly abandoned his Vanillite in the heat of the moment. Yet, seeing him worry over its well-being right now made me reconsider if Vanillite was even abandoned.

"Of course I was!" he snapped, his eyes meeting mine for a second before drifting back to Vanillite. "Everyone in Team Plasma was told to keep an eye out for him."

"But wouldn't it be easier to just ask everyone in Nuvema Town to lend a hand?" I asked. "After all, they _do _support you."

It wasn't a lie or me trying to kiss up. From everything I overheard yesterday and the day before that, and even on the night of the raid, everyone believed that this was the right thing to do, and I doubt that this changed today. The only people who seemed to be unhappy with this occurrence was obviously the three of us, Bianca's mother, both of the Professor Junipers, and that cashier I met. As much as I'd like the believe my mother wasn't content with this as well, I have yet to actually hear her opinion.

"That's what I wanted to do. However, I was advised against it," he told me reluctantly.

"Huh? Why would you be?"

"One of the seven sages said it wouldn't be good for the leader of Team Plasma to admit that some of his own pokemon are missing. It would be a sign of weakness, apparently." He then shook his head, giving Vanillite a deeper look of worry.

Vanillite seemed less hurt by now. Some of his wounds disappeared, but he still wasn't drinking much, or even opening his eyes since he saw N on the street.

"So, this whole time, Team Plasma wasn't only searching for the trainer with pokemon, but also for Vanillite?" I asked to confirm.

N nodded. "And we also halted our liberation. You see, so far Nuvema Town is the only place we've started."

"Why is that?" I asked, despite already having a feeling I knew the answer.

"It wouldn't be fair to leave a few pokemon behind while everyone else is liberated," he stated. "No matter if it's even just one pokemon. It isn't fair."

"But that still doesn't explain why Vanillite was abandoned in the woods..."

"Abandoned?" N asked, somewhat angrily. "Wait... In the woods?" he asked, his voice now void of anger, but full of surprise.

"Uh, yeah... Yesterday, I heard a pokemon crying from the woods and went to check it out," I explained somewhat reluctantly. "It sounded like it was in pain, so I couldn't just leave it alone."

A look of astonishment came across N's face, but then one of approval.

Suddenly, a drowsy sigh came from Vanillite. All his wounds were fixed somehow, and now he was sleeping soundly in N's arms, a smile creeping on his face.

N put down the empty bottle of Moo Moo Milk next to the first, and then looked at me. "I see..." he muttered to himself, despite looking at me. "Now, to answer your question," he started, "whilst I was battling your friends, I sent out Vanillite. Unfortunately, he was having trouble with your friend's Simisear. When Vanillite was close to fainting, he fled with a look of fear on his face."

I imagined just how scared Vanillite must have been. He didn't exactly seem like a powerhouse when I first met him.

"I wanted to run after him, but then I remembered everyone watching me. I was okay with that, but one of the sages wasn't. He offered to fetch Vanillite himself, but as you can see, was unable to find him."

"Oh..." was all I could say.

"Though I'm grateful you found him," he added in, any tone of sorrow now gone. A small smile tugged at his lips. "And I'm even more thrilled to learn that you aren't the one who has pokemon. After all, after meeting you in Accumula Town and seeing how greatly your pokemon spoke of you, I've always somewhat liked you. It's a shame we never saw each other again and became friends."

I raised an eyebrow. "How do you know I don't have pokemon? Not that I'm objecting."

"You see, these guards out here aren't the only Team Plasma members we have watching you," he explained.

I felt a sudden wave of uneasiness.

"There are the two outside, one posted in every restaurant, and one posted in every grocery store," he recalled.

"Wait, so..." I thought to myself. _'That ginger haired cashier! She was a Team Plasma grunt!' _I concluded. I made a mental note to never trust gingers. _'And that deep voiced waitress!'_

"Yes," he confirmed, as if sensing my thoughts. "Yesterday, you told one of my members that you and a friend lost your pokemon," he told me, but there was skepticism in his voice.

"Well, yeah..." I urged him to go on.

"Though I'm certain you don't have pokemon,"

_'Ha.'_

"I'm still suspicious of your friends," he put it blandly.

"But they told me that theirs were taken after they fought you," I retorted. "And you said that the actual person got away from some grunts. Wouldn't have you taken their pokemon yourself?"

"That doesn't mean that they still don't have other pokemon with them," he explained. "You can only use six pokemon at once. That doesn't mean you can't carry more than six. Perhaps they escaped into the crowd, got caught, and ran away."

"But they told me..."

"Perhaps it was a lie, to keep their plan more clandestine," he explained.

"But..." I couldn't get this through my head, and it must have shown on my face.

"I mean, if you had pokemon, would you tell anyone?" he asked, trying to make me feel better. "Perhaps they believe that having pokemon means that they're in trouble, and they don't want anyone else to get involved in it."

"I still don't believe that they'd-" I paused. _'Wait a second... What the heck?' _I already knew Cheren and Bianca had pokemon. Heck, even I had some. More than the both of them combined. It took all of my might to stop myself from laughing out loud from my folly. _'HAHAHA..! I get too immersed in conversations.' _But I will admit, if N got my mind to drift away from my actual goal, he must have been one heck of a speaker.

N seemed reluctant to continue, but did anyway. "They've also been sneaking around, according to a Team Plasma member or two. Do you ever go with them?"

"Well, no, I don't... Except for maybe that one time we had breakfast together," I answered honestly.

"Just as I thought..." N muttered to himself, then changed the topic. Looking back down at Vanillite, he addressed me. "Someone who cares deeply for pokemon... Team Plasma can always use more of those kinds of people."

_'Except for the fact that probably none of them don't even care for pokemon,__'_ I joked in my head.

"I said I've chosen to trust you, and that's why I must ask this..." he said, turning back to face me. There was a stern look on his face. "How would you like to join Team Plasma?"

"Huh..?" I was baffled. _'He honestly expects me to say 'yes' after being forced to hand in my pokemon?! Well, I evaded that, but he doesn't need to know that...'_ I couldn't think of anything to say. _'Besides... I don't even have the right hair color,'_ I joked to myself, trying to get back into my senses.

"You clearly care for pokemon, and it's a shame that yours have been released... The two that I've met seemed to form a strong bond with you."

"But... My pokemon... We were separated because of Team Plasma!" I retorted. _'He doesn't need to know the truth,'_ I reminded myself, stopping a sadistic smirk from creeping onto my face.

"I suppose you were..." N continued, a look of disappointment on his face. "But the offer still stands," he said as he stood up. "Hopefully, you'll see the truth that pokemon and people shouldn't be together."

I wanted to say, "But you've got pokemon!" but didn't. Now wasn't the time to get into any fights. Sometime later, when my pokemon would be strong enough to take down a Zekrom, if that was possible... Anyway, I probably have some things Cheren would be interested in.

"Pokemon confined in pokeballs and forced to battle... It makes me sick," he continued as he walked to the door. "As much as I hate to do it, I must for the greater good, and finally, when pokemon are free... My friends will taste freedom as well."

"Wait..!" I called out, making N stop in his tracks and look back at me with anxiety. Perhaps he was hoping I had reconsidered? Oh well. "What was the point of not letting us be able to see our families?" I asked, almost aggressively.

N had a look of genuine surprise and confusion. "What do you mean..?"

"You're telling me that you didn't know?" I asked with skepticism. "The three of us haven't been able to see our families since Team Plasma came in!"

"I-I didn't know..." he said, astonishment in his voice. "I'll have to speak to the sages about this... I'm sorry to hear about your separation. You should be able to see them."

_'So he really didn't know..?'_ I wondered._ 'Or is he just playing around..__?'_ I mentally shook my head. _'No, that doesn't matter... If it was a lie th__at my mom was moved, I can see her now without causing trouble.'_

"Thank you again, truly, for helping Vanillite... And I'd also like to add..." he said as he reached his hand for the doorknob, "Please, don't converse about anything we've talked about this evening." N cradled the sleeping Vanillite with one hand and used the other one to reach for the doorknob, but was visually surprised when it twisted on its own and opened.

"I just can't believe we missed the opportunity to-" Bianca's voice stopped short when she and Cheren walked in and came eye to eye with N.

While N's face showed no emotions, Bianca looked nervous and Cheren looked spiteful, but both of them were clearly trying to mimic N's nonchalant demeanor.

"I'll be back tomorrow," N looked back to inform me and walked past the surprised Cheren and Bianca, closing the door behind him.

"Hilda..." Bianca tried to form a question, but her nervousness wouldn't let her.

"Hey guys!" I greeted with overenthusiastic happiness. "I made a friend today!" I continued to jest.

Cheren scowled at my mock enthusiasm. "You've got a lot of explaining to do."

"Whatever, I have some things you'll like," I told him. "But you got berries, right?" I asked, pointing to the poffin maker and a handful of berries that wouldn't last us the night. "I'm starving."

* * *

**The Wary Panacea : End**

* * *

Well, this was a pretty quick update.

Thank you, new followers, for following my story.

And thanks HetalianUnicorn for reviewing all of my chapters so far. Yeah, I was actually suspecting that about Cheren, but it would be weird to have him a little more carefree so suddenly, so I'm going to try and gradually change him into his BW2 personality within the next few chapters. He always seemed power-hungry to me in the first game, and then post-plot after the protagonist and Alder keep encouraging him, he finally realizes that pokemon isn't just a source of power (though obviously he didn't think like that to an extent of Team Plasma's perspective), but that's probably just me. As for the Cincinno things, thanks. I should change that right now O.o

And thanks reshiramgirl88 for being supportive. I'm glad you like it.

A few interesting points in this chapter (or maybe not so interesting, idk), N wasn't originally supposed to appear yet. I was going to wait until around chapter 7, but that just seemed like dragging things along. Also originally, his Vanillite wasn't supposed to be in the story at all. However, I came up with a few ideas surrounding it and I can say that Vanillite will be at least somewhat significant in later chapters.

The way N was originally supposed to confront Hilda went something like this :

_"I'm so bored..." I muttered to myself as I looked down at the ground and aimlessly wandered around town._

_"Do you really need pokemon to amuse yourself?" asked a disapproving voice from behind me._

I can honestly say that I think the Vanillite route is better.

As for Hilda's character... I feel like I'm exaggerating it a bit =/ Opinions?

And I'm not sure whether N asking for Hilda to join Team Plasma at this time was right or not. It seems a bit corny.

Lastly, N has a Vanillite because in his final battle (in Black and White) he has a Vanilluxe. Out of all the pokemon he had, Vanillite had the smallest evolutionary form. Sure, there was Darumaka, but Darumaka can't float, and it was already a Darmanitan when N was a child (according to the intro, if it's the same Darmanitan). And Zorua can't float either. It would have been interesting interpreting illusions, but I'm dead set on the floating thing, LOL.

Thanks for reading, following, reviewing, whatever you do. Even if you don't like the story, thanks for giving it a try.


	5. Eventful Happenings

**Chapter 5 : Eventful Happenings**

* * *

Bianca's eyes widened a little. "You just had the leader of Team Plasma in your house and all you want is food?" she asked, astonished.

"Well... Yeah," I answered awkwardly. "I'm hungry."

"Quit messing around, Hilda. What did he say?" Cheren asked.

"Um..." I wondered what to tell them. I came up with, "He'll be back tomorrow."

"Yes... We overheard that," Cheren responded, rubbing the bridge of his nose in agitation.

"What aren't you telling us, Hilda?" Bianca asked.

"Er... We're allowed to see our families now," I offered. My mind was too set on food to concentrate.

"W-We are?!" Bianca's face lit up.

Cheren raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Why is that?"

"Well, apparently N didn't know we weren't allowed to see each other. When I brought it up, he gave us permission," I explained. "Though I don't see why we need permission in the first place..." I muttered to myself.

"I-I'm going to go to my house," Bianca informed us, excitement blooming in her voice, as she raced for the door.

"Wait a second," Cheren snapped.

"Huh?" Bianca stopped in her tracks and looked at Cheren with confusion.

Cheren turned to face me. "Did you say that N didn't know?"

"Well, yeah, unless he was lying," I confirmed. "It wouldn't be surprising if he was, but I don't think he did."

Cheren bowed his head and brought his hand to his chin. He was in deep thought. "If he didn't know, then..." He waited for either me or Bianca to finish his sentence.

"I don't get what you're getting at," I finally said.

"Me either..." Bianca agreed.

"If N didn't order it, then the matter wasn't in his hands."

"What?" Bianca asked, still confused.

"Hilda, did N mention anyone else?"

"The Seven Sages, whoever they are..." I replied. Then, I realized what Cheren was talking about. "Are you saying that the Seven Sages are the actual enforcers?"

"It would appear so," Cheren agreed. "N may be the leader, but whoever the Seven Sages are, they appear to be in charge of petty details."

"D-Does this mean I can't go?" Bianca asked worriedly.

"No, you may. Just not at this time."

"Yeah, I think you should give it a few days," I agreed.

"Oh, a-alright..." Bianca replied, now somewhat depressed.

"Did he say anything else about the seven sages?" Cheren pressed.

"Um... Let me think..." I believe that N said something about the seven sages regarding Vanillite, but I chose to leave that out; Cheren would give me a harangue if he learned that I ran into the forest on my own. "Well... I recall him saying that the seven sages were the people who suspected the three of us."

"Well, it would make sense. After all, Cheren and I were the only ones opposing N that night."

"But then, why me?" I asked.

"Well, you are one of the strongest trainers in Unova," Cheren answered. "So am I. They probably know this from the number of badges we have. After all, we are qualified to challenge the Pokemon League."

"I know, I get that, but how would they even know about me?"

"What about that Ghetsis guy?" Bianca asked. "The one we met in Castelia City?"

"The preacher from Accumula Town..." Cheren muttered to himself.

"After all, you did rescue my Munna from him, and made them flee from their secret base."

"So then Ghetsis is one of the seven sages," I confirmed. "Or, at least, he's qualified."

"I don't know about you two, but on my journey, I spotted some other leader-type persons with Team Plasma grunts following them around," Cheren recalled. "They wore flowing robes."

"Yeah... Me too," Bianca confirmed.

"So those guys in the puffy hats are sages?" I asked.

"It would seem likely."

"Is there anything else we should know about?" Bianca asked.

"Hm..." I thought. _'What else should I tell them?'_ "Apparently, they haven't started the liberation yet."

"What?" Bianca asked, baffled. "Yes they did! They took five of my pokemon to liberate them!"

"Yeah, wait, no... I mean, they haven't moved on yet," I explained.

"Still?" Cheren asked, not believing it.

"Well, as you can guess, N didn't want to leave pokemon behind. After all, a trainer did escape with one."

"So he does care..." Bianca deducted to herself.

"That, or he's faking," Cheren suggested. "That matter aside, is there anything else?"

"Yeah. Anything important?"

"Well, N did tell me not to converse about anything," I told them.

"B-But doesn't that mean you should tell us?"

_'Meh. Why not?'_ I shrugged. "Probably," I answered nonchalantly. "So first thing, he doesn't suspect me of being the trainer with pokemon."

"He doesn't?" Bianca asked, somewhat awed.

"Well, anymore."

"What did you say?" Cheren asked curiously.

"To him? Nothing. Apparently, there are grunts around the town that are tasked just to spy on us."

"We better watch what we say then..." Cheren noted to himself.

"Secondly, he's pretty suspicious of you two."

"I assumed so."

"Then I don't think we should go train tomorrow," Bianca suggested.

Cheren sighed. "No, that would be suspicious."

"H-How?"

"Well, N did tell me not to talk to either of you, and not having you disappear after the day he revealed his suspicions would seem a little scummy," I explained. "For both you two and me."

Cheren nodded in agreement. "That's why we should wait until two days from now to stay in town."

"Oh... I get it now."

Cheren and Bianca looked at me intensively, waiting for me to say more.

"He thinks you two are conspiring without me," I added in.

Cheren and Bianca simply nodded. Well, there wasn't much to say to that.

"Um..." I hesitated. _'Should I tell them about N's offer?' _I wondered. I shook my head. "No, that's it." I decided not to. I didn't really want to concern Cheren and Bianca into this. If they knew N offered me a position and they slipped it out in a conversation, it would mean bad news for the three of us. Plus, I told them enough.

"Well... Alright then," Cheren said as he stood up.

"But... That doesn't explain why N was here at all, or why he's coming back tomorrow."

Cheren paused. "That's a good point," he praised as he looked back at me. "Why was he here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I asked. I quickly thought of a cover story. "He thinks you two have pokemon, and the seven sages thinks the three of us do. If he was in town, I would think he'd stop by."

"I suppose so..." Cheren responded unsurely. "But that doesn't answer Bianca's other point. Why is he coming back?"

"I don't know... Inspection?"

Bianca shook her head. "Why would he tell you then? And in front of us. Wouldn't it be smarter to catch us off-guard?"

"Look, I don't know, alright?" I retaliated, hoping that they wouldn't divulge deeper into the topic. Maybe I'd tell them about N's offer tomorrow, but for some reason, I didn't think it was a good idea at the moment. "I'll tell you when I find out tomorrow."

"Alright..." Cheren continued walking to the kitchen counter.

"If say so..." Bianca mimicked his tone and stood up, following him to the kitchen.

"B-But you do have berries, right?" I asked worriedly. "I'm starving... I haven't eaten since breakfast." That wasn't a lie.

"Yup!" Bianca answered as she poured the contents of her hat into a bowl that Cheren took out. How it was able to handle that capacity, I didn't know. Bianca picked out her pokeball from the berries and put it back into her hat.

"Didn't eat since breakfast, huh?" Cheren asked, a tone of suspicion lurking into his voice.

"That's right," I confirmed.

"These past few days, berries have been disappearing. You didn't eat them, did you?" he asked. He narrowed his eyes.

"Or... Maybe Team Plasma does come in here!" Bianca suggested, a look of fear coming over her face.

"N-No," I assured her, shaking my hands awkwardly. "You got me."

* * *

I let out a mundane sigh.

"Man, I'm bored..." I muttered under my breath, fidgeting with my foot. I would even prefer to take a walk over this. Cheren had said that I needed to stay here, for when N came.

_"We need more information,"_ _he scolded. "This is the perfect opportunity."_

_"Yeah, but can't I just take a breather or two?" I asked, almost pleading. "I'd hate to be shacked up in my house all day."_

_"What if you miss him?" Cheren retorted._

_I sighed. 'He'd never forgive me if I did.'_

So now, I was stuck in the house with nothing to do. There were so many things I could be doing. Walking, spying, and more importantly...

_'That blast of fire... It was definitely from a pokemon,'_ I told myself. _'But why all the way there..? Route 17 is abandoned... And it wasn't even targeted towards us.'_

I would much rather go explore Route 17 and get some answers for myself, but unfortunately I couldn't. Even if I did miss N, Cheren would know I left. I don't know how, but he'd find out, and I wouldn't hear the end of it.

There wasn't anything to do in my house either. Strangely, my television wasn't functioning. That left watching TV or playing a video game out. I could always bring out my pokemon, but what if the guards heard? Or what if N decided to let himself in?

_'There's just no winning,' _I decided with a sigh. I put my hands behind the back of my head and intertwined my fingers and laid back on the couch, positioning myself so that my head was inclined on the armrest. I put one of my legs over the other and prodded it in some sort of rhythm.

_'I'm so bored...' _I thought. This was starting to become a routine, which probably wasn't a good sign. I felt my eyes weigh down a little more. I blinked, before opening my eyes wide open again.

_'How much sleep did I get last night..?'_ I wondered. I was starting to feel a little drowsy, and with nothing to do, I was slowly succumbing to slumber. I felt my eyes close again, but opened it after a few more seconds. _'No... Can't fall asleep_ yet.' I told myself, as I closed my eyes again. _'Wait, No!' _I scolded myself. _'Sleep all you want later, because if you sleep now, Cheren will make sure you never wake up again!'_ I inwardly scoffed at my dual personalities as I opened my eyes, fully replenished.

But as I did, I saw a face with wide eyes and a creepy smile just inches away from mine.

"GAH!" I screeched as I kicked my heel against the armrest in surprise. I pushed with enough force that I actually slid myself off of the couch, landing with a "thud." I winced as I rubbed my head and looked back up from where I fell.

"Van..!" a worried voice exclaimed. Vanillite came into sight only a second later, hovering over the armrest and looking at me with severe worry.

"Are you alright?" a familiar voice asked from some distance away.

I groused as I grabbed the armrest and pulled myself up. Once I stood up, I rubbed the back of my head and mumbled a "yeah."

"Vanillite... Van," Vanillite apologized as it hovered in front of me. His face still showed worry.

"No, it's alright," I assured him. "I just got a little surprised, that's all." That was when I acknowledged that the voice from earlier was N. True to my deduction, I saw him sitting on the couch adjacent to the one I fell off of.

"When I came here, you were sleeping, so I hope you don't mind that I stayed here," N explained. "And Vanillite wanted to see you to. He never did get to say, 'Thank You.'"

"Oh, it's no... Wait," I paused. "Did you say I was sleeping?"

N simply nodded.

_'Oh shoot... I must have blacked out...'_ I cursed in my head. _'On the other hand, how long was N waiting?' _I wondered. It wasn't uncommon for someone to enter a house unwelcomed. A lot of people leave their doors open; it's a sign of hospitality in Unova. But if he entered while I was sleeping... _'What if he went upstairs and found my pokeballs?!' _I thought nervously.

"If you're concerned about how long you were asleep, it's not a problem. After all, it is still your house."

"R-Right..." I answered, sitting back down. I observed his face. _'He seems pretty calm... Yeah, I doubt he saw anything suspicious,'_ I concluded. Vanillite sat on my lap, squealing with glee, as soon as I sat down. The sudden touch sent shivers down my spine. He was cold, but I was able to settle the feeling after a few seconds.

Then, it hit my mind. _'N can understand pokemon... He spoke to Vanillite yesterday, and Vanillite saw Stoutland...' _I summarized. _'Not only that, but I told Vanillite I had more pokemon, and we both ventured out of Town, which isn't allowed... Oh no, oh no..!'_

"So have you reconsidered?" he asked anxiously, breaking me out of my trance.

_'Reconsidered..? Oh. Right. Joining Team Plasma.'_ I shook my head. "I'm not saying no, but... It's still not in my interest," I answered, adding a tone of depression towards the end. I had almost forgotten that the reason I was refusing was I had supposedly lost my pokemon.

"Oh... I understand," he replied, indifference in his tone.

"Now, I'm not meaning to sound rude, but was there another reason you came over today?" I asked, barely hiding the nervousness in my voice.

"Other than Vanillite wanted to see you," he replied, smiling when Vanillite let out a gleeful squeal when he was mentioned, "I actually did have a few more questions... If you don't mind, that is."

_'Yeah, I'm dead...' _I thought. _'Oh well, I might as well try and milk out what I can before making a great escape.' _I cleared my throat. "Um... But first, do you mind if I ask a few questions of my own first?"

N looked surprised, but nodded anyway.

"If you think that Cheren and Bianca still have pokemon, or even on the first day that they did, why don't you just take them in or something?" I inquired. "After all, both of the Professor Junipers are under house arrest."

"I suppose it could be that simple..." N responded. "But we don't have proof," he put it simply. "If we were to just round up every suspect, practically the whole town would be impounded."

I cocked my head in confusion.

"As I said, you three were only the prime suspects. Not the only ones," he reminded me. "That's why we have so many members posted in places like restaurants and grocery stores. They were only told to keep a specific eye on you three, well because, you're prime suspects." He crossed his legs, assuming he'd be here for a while. "And we're not vigilante peace keepers. We're just liberating pokemon."

I nodded, restraining myself from retorting. "And now, for my other question... Why do you want me to join Team Plasma?" I asked. "I know you said that it was because my pokemon and I had a close bond, but that can't be the only reason."

"You're right," he confirmed. There was then a thoughtful look on his face. "Though there were a few other reasons, that was, and still is, the primary reason I asked you."

"Why else?" I asked out of curiosity.

"For one... As I've told you, I've decided to trust you," he started. "You saved Vanillite in his time of need," he explained, gesturing his hand to Vanillite sitting in my lap.

As if to support N's assertion, Vanillite looked up at me with a wide smile.

"And, as I've said... Since I met you and your pokemon in Accumula Town, I took a liking to you, but we never met again," he repeated. N's face had an unreadable expression. "And, well... I wanted to befriend someone."

I raised an eyebrow, which urged him to go on.

"Your bond was so unique, and I hadn't seen any like it," he explained. N looked down into his lap. His facial expression... Was it enlightenment or melancholy? "And up until this day, my only true friends were pokemon. And I thought, perhaps..." N paused and shook his head. "Is that all of the questions you have?" he asked, losing the distant tone in his voice and the remote look on his face. He snapped out of his trance in a second.

I was a bit confused of N's fickle demeanor, but chose not to question it. "Yeah, that's all I have," I replied. "So what did you want to know?" I asked with a leveled tone, trying to keep my nervousness at check. I could only hope Vanillite didn't bring anything up.

"Where are your friends right now?" he asked.

"Um... I don't know," I answered. In a way, it wasn't a lie; they were in the forest, but where in the forest?

"Hm..." he contemplated to himself. "Alright, next question," he continued. "Why have you denied to join Team Plasma?" he asked. There was a tint of curiosity in his eyes.

"I told you already," I begun. "I was separated from my pokemon because of Team Plasma," I continued, adding a little anger to my tone to try and make it convincing.

"Van..?" Vanillite asked in curiosity and looked up at me.

I looked down at him and mentally flinched. _'O-Oh shoot... I forgot he was here...' _By now, I could only help that Vanillite didn't say, "But you had Stoutland yesterday." I froze in place.

"What's that?" N asked Vanillite.

Vanillite turned to look at N. "Vanillite."

"There was no choice," N stated coldly.

"Van, van..."

"But..." N looked like he didn't know what to say.

"Huh?" I asked, befuddled.

N and Vanillite looked back at me again. It seemed to have slipped N's mind that I couldn't understand to pokemon.

"Well, that can't be the only reason," N continued.

"But it is," I insisted. "Why would I help a cause I'm so against?" I asked, with a little force.

N looked taken back, but quickly went back to his calm demeanor. "I see... That's how it is then," he snarled. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but didn't. Was he trying to get on my good side? "Is it because of your friends?" N asked accusingly.

"W-What do you mean?" I asked, accidentally stuttering, which was odd because I didn't feel nervous at all.

"Your friends don't approve of my motives, do that?" he asked rhetorically. "But tell me... Do you like pokemon?" N asked as a wave of seriousness flushed on his face. Even Vanillite tensed up on my lap.

"O-Of course I do!" I answered hastily. And again, it was no lie.

"Then don't you understand?" N asked, a hint of anger approaching in his voice. "There are people that mistreat pokemon. As someone who likes pokemon, why wouldn't you want to free them from captivity?"

"Because not everyone mistreats pokemon," I retorted.

"That may be so... But it wouldn't be fair for only a few pokemon to taste freedom..." N replied. He shot a quick glance at Vanillite, then looked away. "Why doesn't anyone else see that?!" he asked himself.

"Van..?"

N shook his head. "Next question," he enforced, deciding to change the topic.

"Uh... Sure."

Vanillite fidgeted in my lap, sending small shivers through my body. "Van van..." he commentated, most likely reflecting on N's words.

"Have you seen your mother?" he asked in a calmer voice, trying to make small talk.

"No... I haven't," I told him, mimicking his tone. "I don't even know where she is."

N looked confused for a second, but then shook it off. "Tomorrow is all the sages gave me," he informed me, switching the topic.

"Gave you for what?" I asked.

"Gave me to find the trainer with pokemon," he said, regret hiding at the bottom of his throat. "If I don't find the trainer or the captivated pokemon by tomorrow, they're moving on, whether I'm with them or not."

"So you're going to take the pokemon in Accumula Town in two days?" I asked, not bothering to cover up my disapproval or surprise.

"We aren't going to take them! We're liberating them!" he shot back. "And no, not in two days... The day after tomorrow we'll be preparing, and in three days we'll start the liberation in Accumula Town," quelling his voice.

_''Liberation.' That's a different choice of words,' _I observed. _'I've overheard most of the grunts call it a raid.'_

"So tomorrow is the last day I'm going to be in Nuvema," N informed me. "I know you've said no both times I've asked you, but just in case you change your mind," he offered, with some unidentifiable tone in his voice, "you can still join tomorrow."

I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn't think of anything that wouldn't set him off again. I simply nodded. _'Perhaps he's hoping I'll join before the 'liberation.''_

"Well, I thought I'd have more to ask you, but it appears I've forgotten," N said, breaking my thoughts.

"If you ever remember them, feel free to come back," I offered. The only piece of information I had to give to Cheren was the raid on Accumula Town, which should satisfy him enough, but I wouldn't mind bringing up something else.

Suddenly, my door opened. The three of us shot our heads to the door. A Team Plasma grunt was standing in the frame. From the back of his head, I saw that the sky was a dark purple.

_'Just how long was I asleep?!'_

"Sir. You're wanted outside," the grunt addressed.

"Uh... Okay," he answered unsurely as he stood up. He looked at me, and from his facial expression, I could tell he was just as confused as I was. "Can you watch him?" he asked me, then rushed our the door.

After the door closed, I looked down at Vanillite.

"You didn't tell him..." I stated, unable to suppress my shock. I didn't specify what he didn't tell him, but Vanillite seemed to understand.

Vanillite flew to my eye level and put on a giant grin. "Van!" he affectionately rubbed his cheek on my face.

"GACK!" I exclaimed, shocked by the sudden chills his touch sent down my body. "It's cold!" I screeched.

Vanillite laughed and backed away.

"Thank you..." I acknowledged that he hadn't told N about Stoutland, or our little trip.

"Vanillite, van!" He then turned to the door and stared at it. "Van..?"

I stared after it too. "Yeah, I'm curious too..."

"Vanillite!" he requested, turning back to me. His face didn't show concern, but genuine curiosity.

"...I don't see why not," I replied. I scooped Vanillite into my arms and headed for the door. It didn't occur to me that someone might misunderstand seeing me with a pokemon until I exited the door, but no one seemed to care. There seemed to be something else going on.

I was passed by a few grunts and even a few civilians. While they weren't running, they were definitely anxious to see something. One stopped to look at me with deep interest, but shook it off and continued running.

"What's up..?" I wondered.

"Van, van..." Vanillite echoed.

I turned my head in the direction people were running and saw a crowd. I looked at Vanillite. I looked down at him and asked, "Do you think we should go?"

"Vanillite!" Vanillite nodded its head.

"Er... But we're going to have to stay in the back," I told him as I jogged for the crowd.

"You were the trainers who continued to make pokemon suffer!" a dominant voice accused. I quickly identified it as N's.

"Vanillite!" Vanillite exclaimed at his trainer's voice.

"Yeah, yeah, got it!" I replied as I quickened my pace. _'Cheren and Bianca... I hope that's not you...'_

I went to the back of the crowd, because if I was in the front, everyone would see Vanillite, and that'll be an event of its own. It seemed to be a straight line of civilians and Team Plasma members mixed together, though obviously civilians outnumbered them. I was able to find a crack in the crowd where I could peer my head through.

Vanillite flew out of my arms, and for a second I flinched, but relieved my arms when I saw he just flew next to me to get a better view.

I turned back to the event and was shocked to see not only N, but Cheren and Bianca standing not too far away from him. _'This isn't good...' _I stated the obvious to myself.

"Now I demand you give me those pokemon!" N ordered, holding his hand out. His face showed disapproval, but shockingly, I didn't see any rage whatsoever. Just impulsiveness.

"No way!" Bianca yelled back. "There's no way I'm giving you Musharna!" she defensively held her pokeball.

_'Well, she gained some confidence.'_

"And I'm not giving you Cinccino either," Cheren added nonchalantly, bumping up his glasses.

I was contemplating on whether or not I should yell at them to run, but then I saw that the barricade to Route 1 thickened, as if Team Plasma knew that could have been an escape route. _'Wait a second... Did he say 'Cinccino?''_

"Van..?" Vanillite turned to ask me, interrupting my thoughts.

I looked up at it, noticing how high it was. "Lower yourself a bit, we don't want to attract attention," I told it. _'Or do we..?' _I shook my head. _'No, this is N's pokemon.'_

"Van?" he asked again.

"My friends... Apparently they had pokemon too," I told him. Vanillite hadn't told N about our day yesterday, but I couldn't be too sure he would reveal anything else. If N knew I knew that they had pokemon, that would only complicate things.

"Van..."

"Then there's no choice..." N succumbed bitterly as he took out a pokeball from his back pocket. "Klang! I need your assistance, my friend!" he yelled as he threw the pokeball in the air.

Klang appeared after the red static emitted. He hovered in the air, and the crowd went dead silent, save for a few whisperings among the spectators. All that was heard was Klang's turning gears.

Cheren growled under his breath.

"Well? Are we going to battle, or will you let me liberate your pokemon?"

"Cincinno, go!" Cheren threw the pokeball in the air and caught it. Cincinno appeared from the red light and started fluffing its scarf of fur.

_'So he did say Cincinno!' _I realized._ 'But how..?'_

Cheren shot Bianca a glance.

Bianca looked worried for a second, but then nodded, determined. "Go, Musharna!" she commanded as she held out her pokeball and pocketed it as soon as the red light finished.

"Muu..." it sighed drowsily as it swayed int he air.

_'They might be able to win,' _I told myself. _'N only has one pokemon out, but why? Oh, now's not the time... I gotta think of a way to get them out without outing myself.'_ I clenched my teeth, trying to think of a plan.

The crowd started tensing up, and now it was dead quiet.

_'Well I could always run home, grab my bike, and ride through the crowd,'_ I concocted jocosely. I shook my head. _'Now's not the time...' _I reminded myself again.

My movement seemed to catch the attention of Cheren. He jolted his eyes in my direction, and upon seeing me, looked surprised and confused. He returned his attention to the battle, tenser than he was a second ago.

Bianca and N seemed to notice his diverted attention, and drifted their eyes to me. Bianca seemed just as surprised, but actually let her eyes widen. N only seemed curious.

"Cincinno, bullet seed!"

"Cinnn..." Cincinno grunted as he gained power.

Bianca and N's eyes widened as they realized the battle started. They whipped their heads straight, just fast enough to see Cinccino shoot the last of its bullet seed attack.

"Dodge it!" N commanded hurriedly.

"Cincinn! Cin! Cin!" Cinccino growled as it spat out more seeds at light speed towards Klang.

Klang growled as it was barely hit by one of the seeds. Despite it not being that damaging, it fell to the ground.

"What-" Bianca inquired, but was cut off.

There was an odd sound emitting from Klang, who turned into a dark blur.

"Quick!" N ordered. "Focus blast!"

The blur turned into a Zoroark, standing strong and proud. It brought its claws close to its chest and created an orb of light, then shoved it with great force towards Cincinno.

_'A Zoroark..?' _I thought, amazed. I've never seen one in person.

Cheren's eyes widened for a slight second, before he yelled out, "Dodge!"

"Cinc-CIAA!" Cincinoo cried as it was smacked in the head with the light orb. It skidded a few feet away, but surprisingly did not faint. "Cincin!" it growled in anger as it feebly stood up.

From the corner of my eye, I saw disgust in N's eyes.

"Again," N ordered coolly.

"Cincinno, rock blast!"

"Cin..." Cincinno stuttered, still unrecovered.

"Bianca!" Cheren snapped, turning his head to her.

Bianca was so immersed in the battle that she had forgotten that she was a part of it too. "Oh, right!" she responded nervously. "Use Yawn, Musharna!"

"Muu..." it moaned, as it inhaled deeply.

Zoroark finished forming the orb of light.

"To Musharna!" N commanded.

"Wh-What?!" Bianca cried as the ball of light approached Musharna.

"MUU!" Musharna exclaimed as it was blasted from the air and fell to the ground with a thud.

"Musharna..!" Bianca exclaimed as she ran over to the dust cloud it left behind. "NO!"

The dust cloud didn't clear yet, but even I could tell that Musharna fainted. Considering the typing and the damage that Focus Blast does, I wasn't surprised at all. I felt a look of worry overtake my face. _'They're going to lose,' _I realized. _'Think... How can I help them?!'_

"Van..." Vanillite moaned in concern when he saw my face.

I shook my head. "No, it's nothing..."

"Tail slap!" Cheren's voice boomed.

"Cincin!" Cincinno growled as it sped towards the distracted Zoroark and pounded it in the face with its tail.

"Zorr!" it hissed as it was knocked back a few feet.

"Retaliate."

"Zoro!" it nodded as it brought up its claw and jumped up in the air, flying back down towards Cinccino.

"Counter it with tail slap!"

"Cincinno!" Cincinno roared as it turned around and put its tail in the air.

"Miss it, Zoroark, and follow up with focus blast!"

Zoroark quickly diverted its path and landed right next to Cincinno, who was facing away from it.

Cheren cursed under his breath. "Quick, bullet seed!" Cheren commanded, but it was too late.

Just as he said it, a light orb hit Cincinno from the back, leaving a puff of smoke and a fainted Cincinno somewhere in the middle of it.

"Cincinno! Are you up?!" Cheren asked furiously, despite knowing he was beaten. Cheren couldn't keep his anger to himself any longer as his face scrunched up in rage. "Return!" he called as he summoned Cincinno back into its pokeball. A red light lit up the dust cloud for a second, before both dissolved.

I snarled under my breath as I tried to cut through the crowd to approach them to help.

Cheren noticed my attempted action, but glanced at me sharply, just barely shaking his head no. His intense stare dared me not to help. His face seemed to ruefully acknowledge his defeat.

I shot him a look of disbelief before bitterly shrinking back to the rear of the crowd.

Bianca glanced at me with defeat, but looked away, as if implying the same thing as Cheren.

N walked up to them and held out his hand. "Now... Your pokemon," he demanded coldly.

Bianca shook her head slowly and backed away. However, some Team Plasma grunts came up behind her, stopping her in her tracks. She looked at the grunts with fear, and another emotion I never thought I'd see her wear; acrimony.

Cheren just stood there, staring at N's empty palm. He put his fist into his pocket, clutching his pokeball. "You've done it once. You won't do it again."

N was unfazed. He did nothing more and said nothing more. His intensive stare was enough to restate his demands. Several grunts started assembling behind him. Something I never thought I'd see, a couple of civilians from the crowd followed in the grunt's examples, just as some had chanted Team Plasma's name on the first day.

"Because of battles, both of your pokemon were injured. This is why I must liberate them," he stated plainly. Without looking away, he said, "Everyone else here sees it. If you truly care for your pokemon, you'll hand them over," he stated coldly.

Cheren cocked his head to the side and looked behind him. His face scrunched upon seeing that grunts were behind him as well. He gnarled under his breath, clenching his teeth in agitation.

I sent a pleading look to Cheren. _'Let me help you...'_

He briefly looked at me, then back at N, shaking his head firmly.

I looked down. _'Well, so much for our plans to run Team Plasma out together... Now think! What can I do to help?!' _I scolded myself.

N, on the other hand, waited patiently.

"Why don't you let Musharna decide?" Bianca challenged.

N looked at the frail Bianca and shook his head. "Musharna is hurt... Do you honestly think your Musharna could give an honest answer?" His face was like stone.

"J-Just give her some time then!" she demanded, almost pleading. Though her tone was confident, her eyes showed she was giving in.

Some grunts took the opportunity of Cheren and Bianca being distracted. One creeped behind Bianca and reached into her satchel, while another pulled Cheren's arm out of his pocket and grabbed the pokeball from his clenched fist.

"H-Hey!"

"What-"

Bianca and Cheren took a glance where their pokeballs once were, and then back at N, who caught them once the grunts threw them to him. He put them in his pocket and nonchalantly walked away, the crowd behind him immediately clearing a path.

"W-Wait! Musharna!" Bianca cried, reaching out but being restrained by some nearby grunts.

Cheren snarled and tried to bolt after him, but he was too restrained.

"Let's go..!" one of the grunts commanded, as the handful of Team Plasma members that were behind my friends escorted them away.

The crowd erupted into conversation. Some people grouped together, excitingly recalling the events of just a moment ago, while others disbanded from the mass; grunts went back to their posts and people went back to their homes.

I could only stare at Cheren and Bianca, who were struggling to get away.

I couldn't move.

It wasn't that I was scared, or shocked so badly that I was immobile. It was the defeated look that Bianca sent me, and the demanding one that Cheren sent. I knew what they meant all too well. "Don't let it happen to you. You have to keep going on for us."

What happened to be peaceful protesters were soon power hungry minions, who would take over a whole town instead of just influencing it. They were slowly beginning to act as if they ran Nuvema Town, and I think that some people already accepted it. It would only be a matter of time before they'd set up a whole system, and claim not just Nuvema Town, but a myriad of towns, under their control.

N said there would be a liberation in Accumula Town. Not too far away, Team Plasma would continue to dominate a harsh rule instead of being the benefactors they claimed they'd be.

"Van..." Vanillite observed. He was glancing back and fourth between N and my restrained friends. "Van?" he turned to me with a quizzical face.

_'I have to be careful with what I say around him...'_ I turned around. "We should get back to my house..."

"Vanillite?" he questioned, but obeyed anyway, as we walked back to my house, becoming one of the streams of people who were slowly disbanding from the crowd.

* * *

"Van..?" Vanillite asked worriedly.

"If you're asking about N... I don't know where he is," I responded. Once we got back from the outbreak in the middle of town, it was already around 10:00. It's been nearly an hour since then, and N still hasn't come back.

"Vanillite..?" he asked again, arching his eyes in sadness.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll come back for you," I assured him, patting his head. "But it is getting pretty late... I wonder where he is."

"Van, vanillite!" he suggested, circling my head. He then floated to the door. "Vanillite!"

"I don't know..." I said uncertainly. "What if he comes here while we're out looking for him?"

"Van!" he insisted.

I shrugged apathetically. "Alright, let's go," I said as I stood up and walked to the door.

Before I could even twist the doorknob, it twisted first. I stepped back and waited for whoever was coming in to enter. Vanillite floated behind my head, curiously peeking out.

In came a Team Plasma grunt. "You. Come with me," he demanded, staring at me deeply.

"What..? I didn't do anything!" I retorted.

He was about to say something else until he peered his head over my shoulder, seeing Vanillite.

"He's not mine, he's N's. Your king's," I spat.

The grunt looked to the ground and pinched the bridge of his nose.

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that a problem?" I asked defensively. "You're not going to take him too, are you?" I protectively stood in front of Vanillite just in case the grunt tried something funny.

"Don't you want to see your friends?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" I accused.

"Just that."

_'Why would a mere grunt offer me that..?' _I wondered. _'Even if he won't... He seems to know something that would interest me.'_ I turned back to Vanillite. "Stay here. Hide if someone comes in."

"V-Van..?" he asked worriedly.

I smiled. "Don't worry, nothing's going to happen. I'll be right back." I turned to the grunt, who looked somewhat satisfied. "Why would you take me to my friends?" I asked, suspicious.

"Just come along," he tempted, waving a hand and walking out of my house.

I pouted, but followed him out. Before closing my door, I took one last look at the concerned Vanillite. "If you get hungry, eat all the berries you want!" I told him, who smiled widely in response and jolted for the counter. I chuckled before closing my door and turning to the grunt, all of my happiness eroding. "Alright. I know you were about to say something, but didn't once you saw Vanillite. What was it?"

The grunt looked stunned for a second, but then regained his composure. "I'm surprised you've noticed that."

I raised an eyebrow.

The grunt looked around, spotting a few people and some posted members around. When I followed his eye, I noticed that there weren't guards outside my door like there usually were.

"I'll tell you later. Just follow me," he said, keeping his voice low and void.

"What are you up to?" I accused, keeping my volume at a low level.

The grunt only sent me a glare and continued walking.

Sighing, I followed him.

It would've been pitch black if it weren't for the lampposts guiding our path. That's how late is was. There were occasional people out, but most of them were grunts, either walking around or remaining stationery. A couple of grunts sent me looks while we walked. Some dirty, some sympathetic, and some just acknowledging my presence. Well, I had been a suspect of owning pokemon, and Cheren and Bianca were just proven to have some. That could be interpreted in different ways.

Suddenly, the grunt came to a halt. When I looked around, I noticed that we were a few yards away from the Pokemon Lab, which currently had an even larger amount of grunts surrounding it.

"Don't tell me..." I observed under my breath, clenching my fists.

"That's where your friends are," the grunt confirmed. "Now... Just play along, and everything will be explained inside," he said as he grabbed my wrists.

"Hey!" I snapped, flinching my wrists back and stepping a few paces away.

"Look, it'll all be explained," the grunt said. His voice has lost all of the harshness and roughness that he had earlier. The menacing look in his eye from earlier turned into one that was pleading and desperate.

I raised an eyebrow at his change of behavior, but chose to go along with it. I huffed and turned around, routinely putting my hands behind my back. "I don't know what you got planned, but you better not try anything funny," I warned harshly as he grabbed my wrists and we approached the pokemon lab.

A couple of grunts looked at me menacingly as we walked to the entrance. I glowered at all of them as we walked in. _'Weird...' _I observed. _'I thought that I wouldn't be allowed in, since last time... Oh wait.' _I realized that the only reason that they were letting me pass was because I was being brought in as some kind of prisoner. It irked me somewhat, but I needed to check up on the Professor Junipers and my friends.

Once we were through the door, the grunt let go of my wrists. I eyed him curiously as he ushered me to the other room. Four heads snapped in my direction.

_'Cheren, Bianca, Professor Juniper, and... Professor Juniper?' _I inwardly laughed at how I wasn't able to give Professor Juniper's father some sort of title.

"I brought her," the grunt informed casually as he walked over to the table. He reached for his hair and pulled, not only taking off his hair but his face and his clothes. Underneath, he wasn't a ginger, and he donned a trench coat that was all too familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

I was too stunned to say anything. I felt my jaw drop. _'The heck?! He did it so uncaringly and none of them seem to care!'_

"Alright, now that everyone is here, we can-"

"WAIT, wait, wait a second!" I cut off Cheren, who sent me an annoyed look. "Who the heck is he?!"

"Oh, right, I didn't introduce myself!" the guy in the trench coat greeted. "You can call me Looker."

"He's part of the international police!" Bianca explained.

I raised an eyebrow. "The international police... Yeah, okay."

"N-No, really!" Bianca raised her hands defensively. "I didn't believe it too, but he had a badge!"

"..." I didn't know how to respond to that.

"Look, Hilda... He's the only lead we got," Cheren told me.

"Hehe..." Looker awkwardly fidgeted as he scratched behind his head. "I'm a master in disguise, so I've been able to 'overhear' a lot of things," he said in a slightly higher voice that was still gruff.

My jaw dropped and I looked at him in disbelief. "The waitress!"

Looker laughed, which I took as a confirmation.

"Looker has been able to get some information on Team Plasma," Cheren explained. "He revealed himself to us once those grunts from earlier brought us here, and we agreed to exchange information."

"Yeah, they wanted to keep us all under surveillance together," Bianca added.

"Though... It is a bit packed, hehe," Professor Juniper's father commented sheepishly.

"Alright, I'm all good with whatever you all got going on here," I started, "but first can you answer a few questions of mine?"

Cheren raised an eyebrow; clearly he wanted to go first, but he nodded anyway.

"I know you two have been out training excessively, but don't you need a certain stone to evolve Minccino?" I asked. "And also, why were you out in the open?"

"Oh..." Bianca's face turned thoughtful.

"Actually, I'd like to know this too," Professor Juniper added in.

Bianca started recalling the earlier events.

* * *

_"Musharna, psychic!" Bianca commanded._

_"Muu..." she responded drowsily as it lifted up his head a little._

_"M-M-M-Min..!" Mincinno exclaimed as he was lifted in the air. The faint light around his body slightly illuminated the area, which was a little dull due to the darkening sky. "MINCIN!" he exclaimed as he was thrown into a tree. He slid down, leaving a small dust cloud in its path. "Min min..."_

_"Get up, Mincinno. Use rock blast," Cheren commanded coldly._

_"M-Min, mincinn!" Minccino shook as he stood up, trying to regain his stance. Suddenly, some rocks materialized in front of his chest. "MINCINNO! Min, min, min, min!" he chanted as he punched the rocks one by one, hurling them towards Musharna._

_"Musharna, dodge it!" Bianca called out desperately._

_"Muu..." Musharna carelessly drifted out of the way as Minccino repeatedly smashed rocks towards the tree where Musharna was once in front of._

_"Come on, Minccino, aim!" Cheren snapped._

_"Min min!" Minccino started shooting at Musharna again, who dodged all of the rocks without much effort. "Min..!" Minccino growled in irritation. His face puffed up and he formed fists._

_"Muu..?" Musharna looked down where some of the boulders fell and saw something shiny._

_"Huh? What is it, Musharna?" Bianca asked._

_"Minccino, cease fire."_

_"Mincinno..." he sighed in relief. He slumped to the ground and caught his breath._

_"Muusha." Musharna floated over a mini crater and descended into it, picking up some bright stones and carrying it in its pudgy hands. "Musha." Musharna dropped the myriad of stones in Bianca's open palms._

_"Huh..?" Bianca inspected the stones. "Hey Cheren, these look like fire stones!" Bianca called out, holding up the glowing stones._

_"Really..?" he asked. "Minccino, can you go and get one of those for me?"_

_"Min!" Minccino excitedly ran over to Bianca and climbed up her figure and onto her shoulder._

_"Here!" Bianca said as she held out her palm to the Minccino on her shoulder. She accidentally tilted her palm too much and about three of them fell and rolled a few feet away. "Oops!"_

_"Min, min!" Mincinno jumped off of Bianca's shoulder and scurried over to the stones and picked one up. "..MINCIN!" he exclaimed in surprise as he stepped back and started glowing a bright white._

_"W-What the?!" Bianca exclaimed in surprise._

_Cheren gasped and his eyes went wide. "Bianca! Those are shiny stones!"_

_"O-Oh no! I'm sorry Cheren!" she called out. She couldn't see him because the light was blinding her._

_Minccino's form started to blur, and soon there was a pillar of light coming from the forest._

_"Th-This isn't good..."_

_"Eek! We should get moving!" Bianca suggested as she returned an unsuspecting Musharna to her pokeball._

_The light started to die down, and even though the two of them were a distance away from the town, they could hear the chatter between the people, most likely discussing the light they just saw._

_"Quick! Let's get going-" Cheren cut himself off as he noticed Minccino was almost done evolving._

_Minccino's light started to morph into a more evolved form and visibly turned to face Cheren. Once the light was completely gone, a Cinccino was in its place._

_Cinccino had a bored look on his face with an equally mundane tone. "Cincinno."_

* * *

"And you see, we ran away, but the forest is hard to go through at night so eventually some Team Plasma members found us," Bianca explained.

Cheren closed his eyes as he recalled the memory. "We decided that it would be easier to just run into town where we knew the way without light and just try to run through to Route 1."

"But that didn't work out, did it?" Professor Juniper asked sadly.

Cheren and Bianca shook their heads.

"That's when some grunts started encircling us," Bianca continued. "Well, from a distance anyway."

"There was a crowd already there, conversing about the odd light," Cheren added.

"So then, that's when N came around?" I asked.

Cheren nodded. "Speaking of N, I'll have to ask you about that when I'm finished."

"...About N?" Looker inquired. If he wasn't paying attention earlier, we had his full attention now. "So... That really wasn't your Vanillite?" he asked me.

"Er... I'll fill you in later," I mocked his earlier tone, waving a submissive hand.

Looker sheepishly shrunk back.

"A Vanillite?" Bianca asked.

"It's... A long story."

Cheren looked just as curious, but nodded in agreement. "So, there's a reason why I needed you here, Hilda."

"Alright, shoot."

"Well, as you can see, the four of us are trapped here," Professor Juniper's father explained. "So we can't do much, if anything."

"And Looker's too busy playing spy," Bianca added in.

"I am a spy..." Looker sulked.

"W-Wait, what I meant is that you're too busy doing your own thing!" Bianca apologized.

Cheren sighed. "You have your missions, we have ours. Basically, we're just keeping in touch, just like you wanted."

"Yeah, I'm more of a solo guy..."

Cheren cleared his throat. "So, while Looker is an ally, all we'll really do is exchange information," he explained.

"And we wanted you here to make a new plan," Bianca continued.

"Now that Cheren and Bianca can't battle anymore, you're really the only one with pokemon," Professor Juniper's father confirmed. "Looker says he has pokemon, but he's choosing not to use them because it's too risky."

Looker shrugged.

"To make a plan, we need the background info. So Hilda," Cheren addressed me. "Did you find out anything from N today?

"I'm sorry to cut in, but before you go on, can you please explain why she'd know something about N?" Looker asked.

"Yeah, why was N with you yesterday anyway?" Bianca wondered.

Cheren and the two Professor Junipers carried the same look of curiosity that urged me to explain.

_'I have to tell them sometime...' _I sighed. "Well, it started a few days ago when I found his injured Vanillite," I explained.

"His Vanillite..?" Cheren pondered out loud.

"Er... Your Simisear kinda beat him up on the day of the raid," I explained. "N said it ran away and he hasn't been able to find him since. I heard him crying and followed the noise."

"You heard him crying?" Professor Juniper asked. "Wouldn't someone else notice him then?"

"That's the strange part... No one did," I explained.

Professor Juniper nodded thoughtfully. "Is that so..." she murmured to herself.

"Or, at least, everyone ignored him, but that would be impossible because, uh... I'll get to that later."

The five of them nodded, urging me to go on.

"Anyway, I've been feeding him berries to keep his health up and-"

"So that's where the berries went!" Bianca exclaimed.

I nodded. "And one day, I..." I contemplated on whether to tell them what I saw on Route 17, or that I was even there. I ultimately decided not to. I would eventually, when I figured out what that odd fire was. "Well, hewas _really_ injured, and I didn't have any berries on me. I didn't feel right leaving him there, so I stuffed him in my bag and tried to go home."

Cheren nodded through the whole thing while Bianca and Looker patiently listened. Professor Juniper and her father were giving each other looks before Professor Juniper nodded.

"I'm sorry to cut in, but did you say berries?" Professor Juniper asked.

"Uh... Yeah."

"Where did you get them?" Professor Juniper asked. "I mean, assuming you have an ongoing supply. I can imagine they'd be expensive; not many of them grow in Unova."

"Actually, Cheren and I found them in the forest," Bianca answered. "There were tons growing there!"

"Berries, evolutionary stones..." Professor Juniper's father murmured to himself. "Oh, my apologies, please do go on."

"N was on the street, looking for the trainer who had pokemon, which was obviously me, but he didn't know that."

"So you _do _have pokemon!" Looker noted.

I nodded. "My whole team, actually. But continuing with my story," I continued, "N approached me asking me questions when Vanillite floated out of my bag. N accused me of kidnapping him, Vanillite denied it, we went inside and nursed him back to health..."

"And that's when we entered," Cheren finished.

"On the bright side, he doesn't think anyone else in Nuvema Town has pokemon anymore," I offered.

"I suppose so..."

"What did he say to you on that day?" Looker asked anxiously.

"Well, not too much that's useful now," I explained. "A few spies posted around town... Oh, but he did mention something called the seven sages though."

Looker went into deep thought and nodded, urging me to go on.

"And today, he told me about Team Plasma's plans for Accumula Town," I continued. "However, we were, uh... interrupted... before I could learn anything more."

"Interrupted? By what?" Cheren asked ignorantly.

Bianca, on the other hand, looked away, clearly embarrassed. She obviously knew what.

"Er... Nothing," I replied, trying not to deface Cheren.

"So what are his plans concerning Accumula Town?" Professor Juniper asked.

"I don't know how it'll go now," I admitted. "N said that he had until tomorrow to find the trainer that still had pokemon until the seven sages would move on, with or without him. Then, the day after that would be preparation, and then in three days, the actual raid itself." I pondered on the information I just gave, and came up with my own hypothesis. "If I had to guess, it'll happen in two days."

"Hm... No good," Professor Juniper's father muttered. "You see, since you last came, I decided to try and help you somehow, but whatever I was developing isn't finished."

"What are you working on?" Bianca questioned.

"Oh, it's actually a recipe," he informed us. "Homemade vitamins. Based on what Hilda told me, I thought Cheren could use them."

Cheren looked baffled, and for once, speechless.

Professor Juniper's father raised an eyebrow. "What? Wasn't your Minccino a low level?" he asked Cheren. "Or did I get your message wrong?" he asked me.

I chuckled with a smirk, while Cheren sighed in relief.

"No, you're right," Cheren said, almost tiredly. "But even though I still don't have Minccino around, I think that Hilda could still put them to use, that is... If you ever perfect the recipe."

"Ehehe, I'm working on it," he said as he scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin.

"On the other hand," Professor Juniper cut in, "if what Team Plasma said was true and we really can travel from town to town, I may be able to get into contact with Fennel..."

"Oh, she's the scientist, right?" Bianca inquired. "The one that needed dream mist."

"Mhm," Professor Juniper nodded. "Her research will probably be thwarted by Team Plasma, but I'm pretty sure she could be of some assistance."

"Assuming that's all you have," Cheren cut in, "what do you have to offer, Looker?"

"Those four grunts in the cafe were talking about their shifts," he started. "The four of them patrol the area around the sea overlook, but their main goal was to find the trainer and a Vanillite, which was apparently N's," he explained. He looked up in deep thought. "But since both of those are taken care of, it's hard to predict where they'll go next," he thought to himself, resting his chin on a finger.

"Even if there aren't any grunts around that area, it wouldn't be much of a help at all," Bianca commented.

"I suppose so..." Looker responded. "I was also spying on the lab on the same day," he continued.

"What?" Professor Juniper asked, startled. "Why?"

"Well, I saw quite a number of grunts enter the lab one day on my way to the cafe," he explained.

"Oh, that!" Professor Juniper's dad realized. "They simply came in, demanding we hand in the rest of whatever lab equipment we have."

"Though adamant, they left after hearing a ruckus outside," Professor Juniper added.

"Yes, yes, that was my own fault," Looker apologized, despite waving a submissive hand. "I was trying to listen in, but I was spotted by someone."

I paled.

"Who?" Bianca asked curiously.

"Eheheh... I don't know," he shrugged sheepishly and then scratched the back of his head. "The person ran away before I could identify him or her. I tried to catch up, but I was too slow, so I went back around the lab and bumped into the person again," he bitterly recalled. "That's when I decided to just leave."

"T-THAT WAS YOU?!" I screeched, pointing an accusing finger at him.

His eyes widened and he stepped back. "YOU?!"

"Well, don't worry, you didn't miss anything," Professor Juniper's father assured us.

I sighed. "So in the end, we made no plan..."

"We'll think of something over the next few days," Bianca told me. "Looker will come and get you when we think of one."

"Understood!" Looker confirmed. When I turned to him, he was already wearing a Team Plasma uniform.

I stared at him in disbelief.

* * *

By the time Looker escorted me home, N still hadn't come around and Vanillite was sleeping soundly on the couch; that is, until I woke him up by opening the door.

"Van..?" Vanillite wondered tiredly as he cracked open his eyes. They arched in glee as soon as he saw me. "Vanillite!" he cried as he floated over me.

"Hey there, have a good nap?" I asked.

Vanillite nodded.

I looked around the room, and to be sure, I asked, "Where's N?"

Vanillite made a gesture that looked like shrugging. "Van, vanillite..."

I took a glance at the wall clock. "It's 11:22 already... It's been over an hour," I stated. "I woke you up from your sleep, didn't I?"

"Vanillite..." he respoded tiredly, but tried to assure me it was alright.

"Uh..." I thought. "We can't stay up for N all night, can we?" I asked. "Why don't we-" I cut myself off when I heard the door. I twisted my body around to see who it was.

N came in, wearing an apologetic expression. "I apologize, something came up..."

"Uh... No, it's all alright," I claimed. Then I remembered why he was late. _'He battled Cheren and Bianca again and took their pokemon somewhere... And I ostensibly didn't know they had pokemon with them... Gotta make this convincing.'_ I looked away from N. "I just can't believe they lied about it..." I sighed.

"Oh, your friends... Right."

Vanillite looked at me with concern. "Van van..."

"Oh, it's alright," I said. "I just wonder where they are now..."

N couldn't think of a response to tell me. He probably didn't think it was good to have me in contact with my friends. Instead, he changed the topic. "Tomorrow, we start preparing for the liberation in Accumula Town. That'll be our last day in Nuvema town for a while."

"Van, vanillite!" Vanillite cried.

"He would like to know if it'll be okay to visit tomorrow," N translated.

_'Dang,' _I imprecated. _'I guess Route 17 is out then...' _I mentally sighed. "Yeah, my door is always open," I offered, keeping my voice low; I still had to sound somewhat betrayed if I didn't want my cover blown.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow," he stated as he and Vanillite left.

I watched the door close and yawned. _'Man I'm hungry...' _I thought as I walked to the kitchen counter. I didn't get to eat all day, due to my excessive sleeping.

I saw three pitiful berries sitting on the kitchen counter, one of them with a bite, and one of them half eaten.

I felt my face go into desperation. _'That's not enough to make poffins!' _I observed, and now, I felt like crying.

My little drama session was over when I heard someone open the door again.

* * *

**Eventful Happenings : End**

* * *

**_IMPORTANT MESSAGE_**

First thing : I don't know how many of you are actually reading this, but if you can, just leave me a response to this question?

I'm considering re-writing the whole story. Should I re-write it?

5 chapters in and I'm already reconsidering =/

Well, I have a couple of reasons.

1) The chapter lengths  
- I initially thought that I would have trouble writing large chapters, so I decided to keep each one around 6k. However, they've been getting a bit larger, and I keep cutting them off at awkward parts. It's actually hard for me to reduce it.

2) N's character  
- I feel that I didn't get his impulsive nature and awkward speech down. The part where he asked Hilda to join Team Plasma also seemed a bit rushed and kinda corny.

3) The overall storyboarding  
- All of it feels pretty rushed, exaggerated, and repetitive (to me at least). I wanna try and even everything out. This is also in due part of the chapter lengths.

4) Cheren's character  
- I always thought of him as serious, wordy, mundane, and sorta power-hungry (that is, until the second game). But now it just seems like he's a robot with emotions. I don't know, how do you guys feel about this?

5) Hilda's character  
- My image of her was kind, a jokester, playful, impulsive, outgoing, brave, dedicated, optimistic, (stuff along that line). I feel like I'm exaggerating the jokester thing a little too much. Opinions?

6) Bianca's character  
- She seems a bit useless, don't you think?

7) Route 17  
- Poorly written scenes (in my opinion), and Hilda keeps bringing it up at the most random times.

8) The way I'm describing Team Plasma  
- I honestly don't know how to put it into words.

9) Fight scenes  
- Terrible.

10) Slow start  
- There is going to be a lot of battles and action going on, but I wanted to introduce the situation first. Perhaps I took too slow of a start? What do you think?

11) Bad chapter names  
- Yup.

And more that I currently can't remember.

Like I said, I'm only thinking about re-writing it, so I want all of your opinions. It'll have the same layout, and a lot of copied scenes, but if I do re-write it, I'm going to give and take a couple of sentences and make them flow in from scene to scene. It'll all really depend on what you guys think (but I'm not going to get one review, am I? LOL). After all, these flaws I pointed out could be just in my head. I'm never a fan of my own work =/

Now, for the trivial things you probably don't care about :

Looker actually was originally planned to turn up in the first chapter. Thought I was corny, so I just wrote him in certain spots. He was the guy by the lab when it was unguarded, he was the waitress, and he was the grunt that looked at Hilda before the fight.

Once I finished writing this chapter, I was actually considering making this into two chapters, but I thought they'd be a little on the short side, but now it's on the long side, isn't it...

I really should be writing my other fanfiction, but I'm on writer's block for it... I screwed up badly on that one.

Oh yeah, and Hilda's going to starve because she doesn't know where to get berries.


	6. Fickle

**Chapter 6 : Fickle**

* * *

I turned around, expecting to see N again. However, I was surprised to see someone else.

"So _you're _Hilda," the man at the door spat. He seemed disappointed or angry; something along those lines.

It took me a second to get over the surprise. "And _you're _Ghetsis?" I asked, mimicking his apathetic tone and face.

Ghetsis scowled as he welcomed himself in. My eyes followed him like a hawk. I assumed he was here for a reason.

"So you're the one that N has been speaking about..." he informed me bitterly.

"And you're-"

"Save your breath," he snapped. "I'm not here to taunt you about your conniving friends."

I raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Then why are you here?" I asked cautiously. _'My pokeballs are upstairs... Should I run up and get them..?'_

"So it would appear that the apparent renegade trainers have been captured," he started.

I scoffed at the word "captured."

Ghetsis glowered at my reaction, but chose to ignore it. "Although our King may not see you as suspicious, you are not acquitted. I still see you as suspicious."

"And why is that?" I beckoned. _'I'm guessing he's referring to N as a king... Odd way to put it though.'_

"From all of our previous encounters, you've been nothing but trouble."

"Oh, so you do remember me!" I teased. "I'm honored," I said, letting my hand dangle from my wrist, touching my fingertips to my chest.

Ghetsis snarled under his breath. "Do you honestly think you should be so carefree in my presence?" he asked with a menacing glare, his frown only growing.

"Fine," I sighed. "Then why are you here?" I asked as I started inching away from the kitchen counter. I decided that if he tried anything funny, I might as well be by the stairs. Then I could run up and grab my pokemon, and battle if it was necessary.

"I believe that N has given you an offer," he stated darkly.

"What of it?" I asked, crossing my arms, but still walking back to the stairs.

"There's no need to inch away, I'm only here to casually speak to you," he claimed, despite having a voice that seeped venom. He seemed to think that I was scared, as he was greedily drinking up my supposedly fearful emotions.

_'Busted...' _I thought as I stood still. _'New plan. If he tries anything, book it.'_

"I believe he said that he will be visiting tomorrow, yes?" he asked, waiting for my confirmation.

"That's right..."

"When he asks again, you will accept his proposal," he demanded.

"Why?" I asked. "What's in it for you?" I pried.

"Nothing but my king's happiness," he said while giving an insincere shrug and a smirk.

I eyed him suspiciously. _'There's definitely a second motive under there... But what?'_

"He sees something in you, so you'll be joining Team Plasma tomorrow," Ghetsis summarized. However, by his voice and face, I could tell that he was not at all in agreement to this.

"Did he tell you to threaten me?" I asked, mimicking Ghetsis' humorless tone.

"Now, does that sound like something he'd request?" Ghetsis asked.

_'Well... It doesn't...'_ I considered.

Ghetsis smirked at my deduction, as if he could read my mind.

"Alright, fine," I succumbed. "But I have one question."

Ghetsis seemed amused. "We'll see if I have the time to answer it."

"Why does he want me to join Team Plasma so badly?" I asked, making sure to keep my tone austere. "What will adding a single grunt do?"

Ghetsis let out a dark cackle.

_'Man, this guy needs a day off or something.'_

"If that was your concern, you won't be a mere grunt. N wishes to have a public enforcer for Team Plasma, so you'll be similar to an admin," Ghetsis explained.

That confused me, and it must have shown up on my face, for Ghetsis smirked again.

"And he thinks you're the best candidate," he added, somewhat reluctantly. "After all, you did save that weakling I tried so hard to dispose of," he continued, mockery and sadism leaking from his tone.

"Weakling..?" I muttered to myself, trying to decipher what he meant. Then it hit me. I felt my eyes go wide.

N said that during the fight on the day of the raid, Vanillite had ran away. One of the seven sages ran to get him, but couldn't find him. And a feasible candidate for being one of the sages was standing before me.

I could feel the rage pulsing through my veins. "Y-You!"

Ghetsis smirked, but this time, he didn't try to hide his amusement. "Me..?" he asked innocently, despite his arching eyes.

_'That sadist..!' _I clenched my teeth. "You abandoned Vanillite in the forest!"

"Abandoned..?" Ghetsis feigned shock. "Why, I simply liberated him."

"Hah!" I spat. "Some liberation!"

Ghetsis was getting sadistic pleasure throughout the whole conversation. "That weakling isn't strong enough to help N and Team Plasma liberate all of the pokemon in Unova. Therefore, I liberated it, for the greater good."

I almost growled. Growled!

"I didn't hurt it in any way," Ghetsis continued, a menacing tone seeping out of his mouth. "It simply hurt itself and ran into the forest. It was free, but it chose to sulk. I simply liberated it, and I had no other responsibility."

"Do you even liberate the pokemon that you steal?!"

"Of course we do," Ghetsis replied unconvincingly. "Team Plasma cares about all of the pokemon."

"Why are you really here?!" I demanded, unable to contain my anger any longer. "In my house!" I quickly added, not caring for a long rant about Team Plasma' goals.

Ghetsis frowned upon seeing that his fun was over. With a scowl, he simply said, "Just be sure to accept Lord N's proposal and keep your mouth shut, and there shouldn't be any mishaps with your friends." Before leaving, he scanned whatever he could with his eyes and reluctantly shut the door.

I was left standing awkwardly in my own home, staring at the door as if it were a sworn enemy of mine.

* * *

The sound of the door opening woke me up.

I stretched and yawned, almost falling off of the couch. I was too tired to migrate back to my bed last night, and as a result of sleeping on the couch twice in a row, my back ached with every move I made.

N came in with Vanillite bolting in from behind him.

"Did we wake you up again?" N asked.

"No... I was just about getting up..." I replied drowsily, sitting straight up.

N took a seat on the adjacent couch and Vanillite sat next to me.

_'I should take the initiative this time...' _I thought. _'Plus... If he forgets to bring it up...'_ I didn't want to think of what Ghetsis had in mind.

"Hilda, are you alright?" N asked.

"Um... Yeah..." I responded, still somewhat tired. "N... I was reconsidering your offer..."

I now had N's full attention. "And what is your decision?"

"I want to join Team Plasma." That statement alone will probably protect my friends.

I thought I saw the end of N's mouth curl into a smirk, but if he did, he emitted it the next second. "I see... So you've changed your mind."

I nodded. _'Now I just have to think of an excuse...'_

"Why is that?" N inquired.

Making things up as I went, I responded in a semi-depressed tone by saying, "Yesterday, once I saw how... Hurt those pokemon were... It really opened up my eyes... I never viewed a pokemon battle in that perspective before." I only hoped that my hesitation came off as melancholy.

N looked pleased with my answer, meaning that I was convincing.

Although I meant it as a lie, when I thought about it, it really wasn't. I've never seen two pokemon fight to stay with their trainers, but be taken down so... Abruptly. The thought of it actually made me angry, but now wasn't the time to be thinking about that.

"I see... I'm glad you finally see things the right way," said N. "Unfortunately, I don't know what to task you with yet."

_'So he asked on a whim..?' _I thought, befuddled.

"I'll be sure to find something you can do," N assured me.

I nodded.

"Van..?" asked Vanillite, questioning what we were talking about.

"You wanted to visit me today, right?" I asked him. "What do you want to do?"

"Van..!" Vanillite exclaimed, floating in circles around my head.

"Vanillite only wanted to see you today," N translated. He then stood up. "If you don't mind, I actually do have work to attend to."

"Oh, right... You're preparing for the rai- l-liberation," I recalled, stuttering when I almost called the "liberation" a "raid."

Thankfully, N didn't catch that and nodded in a mundane fashion. "I'm currently needed, and I was just curious if you could watch Vanillite for the day."

_'Hm... So he only dropped by so I could babysit Vanillite...' _I observed, somewhat irked that my "fun" was over. _'It looks like I won't be getting anything productive done today.'_ I nodded to N, and looked at Vanillite, who looked ecstatic.

"You really don't mind?" N asked, somewhat skeptically.

"No, not at all."

"Okay then," he said, suppressing his surprise, which I shockingly noticed. "Oh, and by the way," N halted. "Everyone in Team Plasma knows about Vanillite, so if you ever wanted to leave your house, you're welcome to."

_'I shouldn't need permission to walk around with a pokemon...' _I thought angrily, but murmured an "okay."

N left, shutting the door behind him. Despite him leaving, I still felt watched. I turned to Vanillite and scowled.

"Vanillite?" he asked, worried that he did something wrong.

"You ate all the berries again."

Immediately, Vanillite twirled around and floated away from my face. "Van, van, van..." he trilled nervously.

* * *

"Remember, we're out here to _find _berries," I scolded. "If you find any, don't eat them. Just call me over."

"Vanillite!"

"Alright, now that that's settled, I say we split up to cover more ground," I suggested. "But don't go too far, okay? N would have my head if I lost you, let alone that we were even in the forest."

"Vanillite!"

I raised an eyebrow. "You sure you understand?"

"Van, van!" Vanillite retorted, nodding it's head vigorously. He was somewhat irked that I didn't seem to trust him.

"Alright then, give me a call if you see anything," I said as Vanillite flied away. I crouched down to search through a bush that was next to me.

I actually considered bringing along my other pokemon to catch some air or just to help. However, I didn't think it was a good idea in front of Vanillite. He hadn't shown any inkling of outing me yet, but I just wanted to make sure, especially with the death threat Ghetsis gave me. Alright, it wasn't a death threat, or even directed towards me, but it was a threat.

After a few seconds of searching through a bush, I twisted my head to look back at Vanillite. He was humorously charging in and out of a bush, spitting out leaves every time he came out of it. "Van..!" he moaned in agitation when he ceased to find anything. Vanillite flew to an adjacent bush and started the same routine.

I chuckled at this. I kept watching Vanillite, but something was biting at my thoughts. Today, I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy around Vanillite, unlike the other times I was with him. It was... Different? I ruminated on what it could possibly be that was making me feel uneasy around him. When I finally came back to my senses, I realized that Vanillite wasn't there. "Huh..? Where'd he-"

"Vaan!" Vanillite sang from above me.

"Huh?" I wondered as I looked up, shocked to see something blocking my vision. "GACK!" I screeched as something impacted my head with a great force. I swiped the air a second too late as I heard whatever was falling hit the ground. I crouched down and took the item into my palm. "A pecha berry?"

"Vaan!" Vanillite sang again as I saw blotches of shadows surrounding me.

I shot my head up and saw around a dozen dark spheres falling from the sky, causing me to yelp. I instinctively put my arms up to shield my face. I felt a few fall onto my arms, pounding them as they fell to the ground. After I was sure that the last berry fell on me, I reluctantly put my arms down. The sudden appearance of the sun pierced my eyes a little, but after I blinked, I saw Vanillite flying around a tree limb that held a handful of pecha berries.

"Va-"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" I screeched, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Vanillite..?" Vanillite stopped in his tracks and looked down at me with worry.

"I-I didn't mean it like that!" I replied hastily, worried that he took it the wrong way. "Before you drop any berries, just... Give me a moment, okay?" I called out to him, cupping my hands around my mouth to amplify my voice.

"Vanillite!" Vanillite nodded.

I sighed with relief and crouched down, scooping the berries into my satchel. Once I managed to get all of the pecha berries in, I held up my satchel to the sky. "Alright, drop 'em berries!"

"Vanillte!" Vanillite sang in excitement as he rammed into one of the branches. Three pecha berries shook from the branch and fell off, one after the other.

I easily caught them with my satchel, which got a little heavier with each berry. "No wonder I've never found berries out here before. They were in the trees!"

Vanillite flew down to my eye level. "Vanillite, van!"

I had no idea what he just said, so I decided to ask a question. "These should be enough to last us the night, but with your gluttonous stomach, I think we should look for a little more."

"Vanillite, van..." Vanillite trilled sheepishly.

"Sadly, I can't fly, so you don't mind knocking down the berries, do you?"

"Vanillite!" Vanillite eagerly nodded and sprinted off to find another tree.

"Great! We'll eat like royalty tonight!" I called out to him as I started looking above me for any berries we might have missed. While I was looking, I thought I heard him rustling in a tree next to me, but when I looked, he wasn't there. _'Must be the wind...'_

"Vaan!" his voice sang from a distance away behind me.

"Oh. Coming!"

* * *

"It's a good thing no one saw us go into there," I sighed with relief as Vanillite and I entered my house. "Berries are just too expensive to buy on my budget." I threw my satchel onto the couch, resulting in a handful of berries to fall out and onto the ground. I tried to cut the door, but it seemed to get stuck on something. I examined it before trying to close it again, and it did without ease.

"Van!" Vanillite exclaimed, hovering around the fallen berries.

"Don't worry, we'll handle it later. Now... What to do?" I asked. "Food's settled, and I really have nothing to do around here..."

"Van..?" Vanillite wondered to himself. He started floating around my living room, and stopped when he reached the kitchen. He curiously observed my counter and set his eyes on the poffin maker.

"Oh, that? That's for making poffins," I explained. "It's like... Steamy berry bread."

Vanillite's eyes started to sparkle. "Vanillite, van!"

"Hm? You want some?"

Vanillite nodded his head and floated to the couch. He fumbled with my satchel's shoulder strap for a while until I came over and carried it for him. Once I put the satchel on the counter, Vanillite nudged the satchel, letting a few berries spill out.

"Alright, I have to make the dough first, so you choose out your favorite berries," I told him as I got out everything I needed and made the batter. I carried the bowl over to the poffin maker.

"Vanillite?" he asked curiously.

"This? This is to make the poffins," I said as I poured the batter in. "Now... Flip that switch right there," I said, pointing to it.

Vanillite stared at it before nudging it. As the bowl started spinning, Vanillite flinched.

"No, it's okay, it's supposed to do that," I assured him, suppressing a laugh. I took the rawst berries that Vanillite picked out and dropped them into the pot. As soon as the batter turned a faint blue, I started stirring in the opposite direction.

Vanillite wailed in awe as he floated above the pot. He bowed his head to look directly inside.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I said, lifting my gaze from the spinning pot.

As if on cue, the pot changed the direction it was spinning and fresh batter whipped itself at Vanillite, dripping from his face and back to the pot.

I used all of my might not to laugh, but despite my attempts, I probably had a ridiculously idiotic grin on my face. I nonchalantly continued to stir the batter, diverting my eyes every other second, only to see Vanillite just floating there. After around a good ten seconds, he finally licked everything off of himself.

Suddenly, his eyes started to sparkle. "Vanillite!" he exclaimed.

"Good, isn't it?" I asked as I started to stir in a different direction.

Vanillite started squealing with joy, flying around my living room in circles. After circumventing my living room a few times, he started squealing again and spinning in circles.

"Should I really give some to you?" I mocked. "It seems to have taken too much of a toll on you."

Vanillite stopped squealing, and from the corner of my eye, I saw that he came to an abrupt stop.

I curiously turned my head back, only to see him crestfallen. "I-I was kidding..."

As if a switch was hit, Vanillite started squealing and flying again.

I could almost feel a drop of sweat from the back of my head. _'Gee, he sure is hyper...' _The bowl started shaking left and right, catching my full attention. I quickly started moving the wooden spoon backwards and forwards. A few seconds later, the bowl stopped moving. "Whew... Alright, they're done."

Vanillite bolted back to my side. "Van!" he squealed, eagerly staring at the bowl of piping hot batter. I was surprised that he wasn't drooling.

I lifted the pot from the griddle and started making drops on a plate which solidified into steamy buns. I continued this until I had no more batter. "Alright!" I sighed. "Let's eat!" I grabbed a poffin in each hand, stuffing one of them into my mouth and holding out the other for Vanillite to bite.

"Mmm..." we simultaneously sighed.

I got out a second plate and slid half of the poffins onto it. "Let's sit down," I told him as I carried the plate over to the couch.

"Van..." Vanillite followed me as if he was in some sort of trance.

I put down the plate onto the coffee table, and I was about to sit down until I saw something on the ground. I crouched down to get a better look. "Squashed berries?" I observed. "Oh... Right," I sheepishly admitted, remembering earlier when a few berries fell out of my satchel. "I really should have picked those up, hehe..."

Vanillite took a nosedive into the plate of poffins. "Vammiw..!" he exclaimed, his voice muffled by the poffins in his mouth.

I flinched at his sudden outburst, but couldn't stop myself from laughing. "Alright, fine. I'll eat the others," I told him as I went back to the counter to find a rag to clean up the squashed berries.

After I wet a rag in the sink, I saw the second plate from earlier, which seemed to be missing a few poffins. I glowered at Vanillite from the corner of my eye. _'He ate some while I wasn't looking, didn't he...' _Strangely enough, he was innocently rolling around in the plate of crumbs, laughing his little head off.

* * *

"You really didn't mind?" N asked, somewhat skeptically.

"Of course not," I replied.

An emotion I couldn't identify took up N's face. He scoffed it off and said, "Tomorrow, we're starting the liberation in Accumula Town, but you won't be able to help."

"Oh..."

"The seven sages have advised that you should first learn the ropes of Team Plasma," he explained.

I nodded my head in understanding. _'This is a good thing,' _I told myself. _'I'll be getting inside information if I'm being 'trained.' Also, tomorrow all of the attention will be towards the raid in Accumula Town.'_

When I thought about it, the raid itself wasn't the good thing. Another town would be victimized. However, Accumula is pretty close to Striaton City. Cilan, Chili, and Cress are bound to notice and do something about this before even more people lose their pokemon. If Team Plasma wanted to preach their hearts out and convince people to release their pokemon, that was one thing. Coercing them was another, which I didn't approve of.

"I'm sorry, but I must get going," N cut into my thoughts. "We're gathering preparation, and this was my only opportunity to pick up Vanillite."

"I understand."

"Speaking of him... Where is he?" N asked, peering over my shoulder.

I shook my head to tell him that he wasn't flying around somewhere. Instead, I leaned to the side so that I wasn't blocking N's view and pointed my thumb at Vanillite, who had a bloated stomach and was sleeping on top of a plate.

"If he was any trouble-"

"No, he wasn't," I intervened, dismissing N's worry. "Don't worry about it."

A realization of some sort seemed to hit N. "Oh, and if acquiring food was such a hassle because you're on a limited budget, you could have just said so," informed N. He walked over to the poffin maker. "There's no need to sneak into the forest just to pick berries. You aren't doing any harm."

"O-Oh, okay," I replied, somewhat confused.

"Hm..." he wondered to himself as he examined the poffin maker. "This is quite different from how they make them in Sinnoh."

"Have you been there before?" I asked.

N shook his head. "I just know trivial things of the like," he replied as he looked over my berries. After, he walked over to the coffee table and picked up Vanillite, handling him in a way that wouldn't wake him up. "I'll be going, then," he said as left my house and closed the door, somewhat in a hurry.

_'Oh, that's right...' _I reminded myself. _'He's still preparing for the raid.' _I walked over to the couch and sighed, somewhat tired even though it was only around 6. Then, I realized something. _'Wait... How did he know-'_

My thoughts were disrupted when the door opened again. In came Ghetsis in an ironically casual fashion.

"Welcome back," I called out, putting up an arm to acknowledge his presence. I decided to show him that I wasn't intimidated by him in any way, which in a sense was true, but false at the same time. It wasn't him I was scared of; just the actions he could do towards my friends or my mom.

Ghetsis sneered at my snide remark. However, he blinked, forgetting about it, and smirked. "It's a good thing that you do what you're told." He welcomed himself in, shutting the door. "Obedience is a virtue in Team Plasma."

I scowled at his choice of words. "Again, what's in it for you?"

"Nothing at all," Ghetsis replied. "Just my king's happiness."

"Hmph." I crossed my arms. "So what do you need this time?"

Ghetsis was clearly piqued at my casualness around him, but rubbing the bridge of his nose, he shooed the feeling off. "I'm sure that my Lord N has already informed you that you'll be unable to participate in tomorrow's liberation." He paused.

"...That's right..." I confirmed, unsure if he wanted me to answer or not.

"Well, we can't have novices tasked on an important event, can we?" he sourly remarked. "Unfortunately, none of our talents can be wasted on you on such an important day."

"Will I be having the honor of having one such as great as you teaching me today?" I asked, smirking.

Ghetsis scowled. "I don't need to waste my time on you, foolish girl." He started pacing around. "First of all, you will refer to me, or any of the other sages, as Lord, and as for N, your ki-"

I cut him off. "Wait a second, Ghetsis. What's a sage?"

Ghetsis furrowed his eyebrows, either irritated or angered. "I've only told you one of the rules so far, and you're already ignorant. How inspiring to see that someone like you will assist in leading Team Plasma."

"_Lord _Ghetsis," I corrected myself, a smug grin on my face.

Despite my correction, Ghetsis didn't seem satisfied. Despite that, he went on to explaining. "A sage is a high official. Considering that the only ranks are our King, us, and... Whatever that boy has planned for you-"

"You mean _my King N_," I cut in, pointing a finger as if his mistake was visible.

"Are you forgetting the situation that you're in?!" roared Ghetsis. "With one word, your friends can-"

My eyes widened and I immediately shook my head. "I'm sorry... It won't happen again," I assured him, completely sincere. My friends came before my own sadistic amusement. Noticing that I cut him off, I muttered a "sorry." I decided that I'd remain "obedient" for the rest of Ghetsis' visit, for the sake of my friends and my mom.

Ghetsis continued where he left off. "There are only four rankings in Team Plasma. King, Sage, public admin, and grunt."

_'I see...'_ I reveled as I nodded. _'One king, seven sages, one public admin, and countless ginger grunts.'_

"You refer to N as 'my king N,' and any of the seven sages as 'lord.' I've already informed you of this, but with your simple mind I deemed it necessary to repeat myself."

It took all of my might to not come up with a comeback. Instead, I furiously nodded my head like an idiot.

"As you can tell, the seven sages are your superiors. If you aren't familiar with them already, you will soon," informed Ghetsis, a sinister twinkle in his eye. "You will be educated of your duties in the near future. I suggest that you don't back on your word."

I nodded, not speaking just in case I would cut him off again.

"And I'll be leaving now. I have many more important things to attend to," Ghetsis complained, heading for the door.

"If that was all that you came for, why come in the first place?" I inquired.

"Don't question your superiors, and when a superior leaves, you bow," Ghetsis sneered. He glared at me with expectancy.

Realizing that he was waiting for my to bow, I sheepishly jumped up from my sitting position and bowed, keeping my position.

I heard his footsteps head out and the sound of him opening my door. I curiously curled my head up to watch him exit. He waited a few seconds before closing the door.

Suddenly, the atmosphere felt a lot more relaxed. I sighed in relief that there were no conflicts.

* * *

After N and Ghetsis left my house, I ran up to my bedroom and took Stoutland and with me, along with two other pokeballs which I randomly chose. Now, I was walking around Town, wondering what I should do.

_'I want to explore Route 17,' _I decided. My only concern with doing so was the fact that N said, "By the way, there's no need to sneak into the forest just to pick berries." How did he know I did that? Did a grunt see Vanillite and I creep into the forest? It wouldn't be that surprising; Vanillite attracted the attention of every person we crossed. But the fact that a grunt noticed me when I was trying to be unnoticed made me paranoid.

_'Yet again... When else will I get another opportunity?' _I thought, reminding myself of the few other times when I wanted to go. Sighing, I gave into my desires and skipped into the forest. I navigated my way to the isolated Route 1 before taking my three pokeballs out from under my cap.

"Come on out, guys!" I yelled as I summoned the three pokemon I took with me.

Red lights shot out from my pokeballs, and after the lights emitted, Stoutland, Simisage, and Swanna materialized before me.

Simisage and Swanna gleamed upon seeing me and ran to my side in an instance. Simisage howled as he climbed up my back and Swanna used her neck to hug me.

"Haha, I know! It's been a few days, hasn't it?" I reveled, awkwardly twisting my arms so that I could pet both of them. "I'm really sorry guys," I said, a growing frown on my face. "You really shouldn't have to be crammed up in your pokeballs to stay with me..."

"Swaa," Swanna cawed in affection, as if trying to assure me it was alright.

Simisage, on the other hand, used cut on my head. I cringed before knocking him off of my back. He sat back up with a smirk.

"Alright, guys. Today is a stealth mission, so I can only have so many of you out at once," I explained. "If you get called in or out without any warning, don't take it the wrong way, 'kay?" I assumed that it was important to tell them before hand, in case I needed them at that exact moment. There would be no time for a reunion.

The three of them nodded, gruffing in response.

A sad smile crept along my face. "Don't worry, I'll make a day for you guys to be out, just for fun," I said as I re-summoned Swanna and Simisage. I looked back at Stoutland, who was standing proud. "Alright, buddy. Surfing time."

Stoutland brooded at my revelation.

* * *

By the time we reached the place where Vanillite was hit, it was around 9 and the sky was growing dark. I didn't see anything suspicious around the area upon hitting the shore. I turned to Stoutland and put my finger to my mouth, telling him to be quit. He nodded in response and we crept up the stairs.

Halfway up the stairs, I saw a light some distance away. _'Huh... That's odd. No one's supposed to be here...' _Yet again, I already knew that people were here from a few days ago. "Er... Shh..." I awkwardly hushed Stoutland and put my hand up to stop him from advancing.

As soon as I was done climbing the stairs, I saw that it was a warehouse of some sort. The door was open, and I could see the silhouette of two people.

_'Well, there goes infiltration,' _I thought. _'Unless...' _There was always the cliche'd diversion thing, like throwing a rock or something. I looked around me, but there wasn't even a pebble. Suddenly, I remembered that I was standing in the clear. I awkwardly scurried behind the patch of trees to my left and harshly beckoned Stoutland to follow me.

Stoutland gruffed and walked over. We peered our heads out of the trees, but only slightly. I noticed that a silhouette started walking, but was cut off just as he was about to go out the exit

"Hey! Be careful!" a feminine voice snapped. "You don't want to set it off!"

"Oh... Right... Lord Ghetsis will let me have it if that happens again..."

_''Lord' Ghetsis?' _I questioned.

"You bet!" the first guard snapped again. "We still haven't heard the end of it!"

"No kidding," the second one replied. "But our punishment doesn't even compare to the others'. Did you hear what he did to those guys on the first division?"

"Yeah, over something so idiotic. Those guys were supposed to be the new admin rank, until they displeased Lord Ghetsis. Wonder what they did to irk him that badly," she replied. "All they did was let some guy in a lab. What's so bad about that?"

I saw the second guy's shadow shrug. "Beats me. I hear they're giving the position to some newbie."

_'Me..? Why, I'm honored,' _I joked in my head.

"Oh, that guy? Lord Ghetsis said he needed this guy for-"

"Yeah, yeah... We're not supposed to talk about it around him," the second guard said in a hushed tone, pointing to something inside. "Do you really think that this guy will lead to his goal?"

I raised an eyebrow. _'So there is a second motive... Just like I suspected.'_

"Who knows? Wait... What are we doing talking?! Aren't you late enough?!" she snapped again. "They need the device!"

"R-Right!" the second one stuttered as he approached the exit. "It was his fault though!" retorted the grunt as he pointed inside again and halted.

I finally saw him, aside from his silhouette. He was just a regular Team Plasma grunt, but why was he posted all the way out here? Instead of just stepping out, he paused. He laid his palm on the wall and pushed. To my surprise, a section of the wall disconnected and pushed outwards, spinning like a revolving door. The grunt stepped through, almost tripping on a small part of the wall that was still in place.

Stoutland and I hid deeper in the thicket as the Team Plasma grunt rushed past us, presumably to deliver the device. Once he was gone, we peered our heads out of the trees.

_'Hm... What device?'_ I wondered. _'And what __was the point of that door thing?'_ I wondered, looking at the door frame. Nothing seemed off about it, but apparently exiting or entering through that way "set off" something. I squinted trying to look for something, until Stoutland nudged my leg. I curiously looked down at him. "What is it?" I asked, making sure to keep my volume at a low.

Stoutland pointed his nose towards the upper frame of the door. Something seemed to be reflecting light. Something that was so thin that I was questioning if I actually saw it. _'__Something... Shiny?'_

I squinted again, trying to concentrate on what it was. "Is it... a wire?" I asked Stoutland.

He nodded, and pointed his nose around, indicating a few more. When I followed his gazes, I didn't see anything, but I trusted his observations. Apparently, there were very fine pieces of wire stretching from the top of the door-frame to the floor. I doubt they'd hurt upon trying to go into it, but they were probably just trip wires.

"Hm... Now why would they need trip wires and guards at such a small shack..?" I asked myself. "An isolated shack..." I added.

Stoutland started sniffing the air and gradually walked out of the patch of trees. When he was right in the clear, he looked back at me and gave a silenced bark, indicating that it was safe to get out.

I nodded and followed him out. "You think we can get closer?"

Stoutland responded by walking forward, caution in each step. We continued our gradual ascent until we were but a few feet away. I looked at our surroundings, and all that there was were the shack, a patch of grass, a cliff, and some more trees. It was starting to get pretty dark out too.

"Sorry, but I think this is where you finish," I whispered as I recalled Stoutland, who bowed his head in understanding. I observed my surroundings again and ultimately came up with an idea. "Don't make a noise," I warned as I summoned Simisage, hoping that the one guard left wouldn't notice the red light.

Simisage jounced in place and looked at me with eagerness.

"All right, do you think you can lift me up there?" I asked, pointing to the roof of the shack.

Simisage ran up the tree next to the shack. He stayed on the branch closest to the ground and lowered his tail for me to grab. I took it and started walking up the trunk of the tree; I could never climb a tree without assistance. We repeated this until I was on the highest branch, which coincidentally extended a foot or two next to the roof.

"Alright, so I'm going to jump onto the roof, and the noise will probably attract attention," I explained, keeping my voice at a low. "When that happens, you're going to run deep into the forest, but not too deep, and start cutting down trees with 'cut.' Don't let her find you. Got it?"

Simisage dutifully nodded.

"Alright. If the guard finds you, run away. When I'm done, I'll... Uh..." I thought about it for a second. "Just keep your eye out for me, 'kay?"

Simisage seemed irked at my inability to form a plan for a second, but nodded anyway.

I smiled. "Alright. I'll leave it to you, then," I said as prepared to jump onto the roof. "Only cut down the amount of trees necessary, okay?" I suggested as I jumped from the branch and onto the cold metal roof, resulting in a "bang." I almost slid off, causing me to helplessly groped the air, but I sighed with relief when I stopped moving. When I looked behind me, Simisage had already left.

"Who's there?!" a demanding voice asked. I quickly remembered it as the female guard's who stayed behind. I crawled up the smooth metal roof with difficulty and watched the guard exit through the disconnecting patch in the wall.

She looked around her and was about to go back inside, but there was a distant "thud." She sprinted in the direction of the sound. "Come out!" she yelled, but got no response.

_'Yeah, that's it...' _I urged her in my head. _'Check out the noise. Come on.'_ I sighed with relief when I saw her sprint into the deep thicket of wood and didn't see me on the roof. I cautiously slinked my way to the edge, gasping when I almost slipped off. Once I reached the edge, I looked down at the ground, which was somewhat of a large fall. _'Yeah... I really should have thought this out...'_

I looked at my surroundings for what seemed about the 100th time and saw nothing that could help me. I could always use Stoutland as a fall cushion, but I feel like I'd murder him if I tried jumping on him from this height. There was also the fact that Swanna couldn't handle human weight, for whatever reason we have yet to fathom.

"I saw you! Get back here!" I heard a feminine voice screech.

I froze in place. _'She saw me..!' _

"Who are you?!" The voice was getting closer.

_'Gotta get down, gotta get down..!' _I thought hastily as I desperately looked at my surroundings again.

"Stop running!"

_'Running..?' _I thought, befuddled. I turned around. Although I couldn't see anyone, I heard footsteps running around. _'Oh yeah... Good job, Simisage.'_

Suddenly, the whole roof started shaking with a "bang," making me slip forward. I was so surprised that I couldn't even gasp. However, as luck may have it, I had enough sense in me to quickly grab the ledge of the roof. I was so shocked that the wind was knocked out of me, and it took me a few seconds of just hanging around before I found it in me to pull myself up.

After I pulled myself back up, I saw that there was something at the end of the roof. After I blinked, I saw that they were leaves. _'Leaves... Did Simisage cut down a tree around here?' _I stood up, and on shaky legs I started to walk over to the bushel of leaves. However, I was stopped when I heard footsteps from a distance behind me. I hurriedly collapsed to the "ground," uncaring of the noise it made; it would be harder to spot someone lying down on a roof, as opposed to one standing and shaking like an idiot.

I quickly crawled back to where I almost fell, which was the front of the shack. I held the ledge with a death grip to ensure I wouldn't fall off as I straightened out my body and peered my head over the ledge.

_'Another grunt,'_ I observed. _'Probably to relieve the one that left.'_

However, the grunt exhibited odd behavior. He was squinting at everything he passed as if they would jump out at him. It was almost as if he hasn't been here before. Yet again, he probably heard booming in the distance. Simisage was still gradually cutting down trees, and I could still faintly hear them every now and then.

The grunt approached the entrance, making me scowl. _'Great... How will I get rid of this one?_' I thought, irritated. _'And Simisage can only stall that other one for so long...' _However, I took a closer look and saw something peeking out from behind the grunt's uniform. _'Brown cloth..?'_

The grunt looked both ways before attempting to go through the fake entrance.

_'Hold on... Acting like he's in a foreign land, brown cloth, wrong entrance...' _I examined. _'...His wig's crooked!' _I noticed qualmly. I realized who it was. It was Looker in disguise, and he was about to set off something. I extended one of my hands over the edge to suffice as a warning, but he didn't see it. _'Wait! Don't-'_

Even if I had warned him out loud, he wouldn't have heard it on time. He attempted to walk through the opening, but he was bounced back by an invisible force, which was actually the very fine wires. He fell on his rear and looked back at the entrance with astonishment. It was also then when his hood fell down and his wig fell off.

The light that was emitting from inside of the shack started blinking red, while there was a sound of a rather loud alarm coming from inside. It was so loud that it was even vibrating the roof. _'There are going to be reinforcements... Not good..!'_

"Hey! Are you the one who's been making the noise?!" a voice called from inside.

_'Speaking of the noise... Haven't heard a tree in a while,' _I observed. _'Maybe Simisage... No, he's probably fine.'_

Looker quickly recovered and jumped up, giving a mock salute before running off in the direction he came, throwing away his costume in the process.

"Come back here!" the voice screeched again as I saw the wall shoot out, followed by a person jolting through it. He had on a lab coat that flowed behind him. He was trying to chase down Looker, but Looker was already long gone and out of sight.

_'Well... That has to be everybody in there,' _I concluded as I stood up and ran towards the back of the shack on shaky legs. The fear of falling was replaced with the fear of running out of time. The darkness and loud rhythmic alarm wasn't helping with the pressure. When I reached the end and looked down, I saw a stump resting up right against the side of the shack at a slant. _'This'll do...' _I confirmed as crawled down the tree trunk backwards.

I quickly circumvented my way back to the front and pushed the wall where I had seen it open. The wall seemed to collapse at first, but it really just detached, being held by hinges, and I pushed my way through like a revolving door.

_'I have to make this quick... It'll only take so long until that other grunt rushes back here or some reinforcements come,' _I reminded myself as I ventured into the small shack. The alarm screeched louder upon my entrance, convincing me that I was deaf for a second. I instinctively held my palms up to my ears, but after a minute or two, I got used to it and put my hands down.

It seemed more like a laboratory than anything. There were stray pieces of paper littered around the place with quite a few computers. However, the blinking lights and haunting alarm distracted me from my objective.

Despite all of that, what really got my attention was to the right. Hidden away in a corner was a large tube with unnaturally fluorescent liquid. Inside of it was wires connecting to various parts of what looked like a purple colored robot.

_'Don't robots short out in water or something?' _I wondered.

Upon seeing me, the thing's eyes glowed red, and I thought I saw hate in it. It screeched a blood-curdling screech, even drowning out the sound of the alarm. In response to its outburst, the wires emitted a faint yellow color as the robot-looking thing was electrocuted. It looked like it wanted to scream, but obviously suppressed it.

"W-What is this?" I asked myself. While I wasn't scared, I was definitely nervous about that thing._ 'Why is it in something like this?'_ I crept closer. The more I did, the more the thing moved. I thought I heard it growl, but if it did, it quickly shut itself up when a small amount of electricity buzzed through the wires. I saw a plaque at the bottom of the tube. "The Genesect Project..." I read out loud.

The thing in the tube flinched upon hearing my words.

"...Genesect?" I repeated, curious of its reaction.

The supposed "Genesect" started helplessly flailing about, as if it was entangled.

I looked around the tube a little more and saw a few broken pokeballs scattered around the floor. That lead to a horrifying truth. "Don't tell me... You're a pokemon?!" I asked, aghast. "What are they doing to you?!" I looked around me. As I was about to walk away to look for something of more use, I heard Genesect screech again, stopping me in my tracks.

When I turned around, the whole liquid was glowing a dangerous yellow as Genesect was being electrocuted. It screamed its heart out, now uncaring of the consequences, flailing its arms and legs while trying to break the glass. As if on cue, the red light started flashing faster, comparable to the speed of a strobe light, and the alarm went louder; however, I chose to ignore my time limit and increasingly deaf ears. Genesect was now the priority.

"Wait a second, I'll get you out, just calm down, alright?" I put my palms up as if to try and convince it, but my warning went unheard. My eyes arched down in worry.

Genesect only started to go into a bigger panic. From inside the tube, I saw Genesect spitting something from its mouth, but whatever it was, it was quickly dispersing in the form of bubbles. It also lit up the tube a warm color. I looked around some more to try and decipher what he was doing, and to my surprise, I saw some glass shards around the floor of the tube.

_'Broken glass, broken pokeballs, and...' _I listed, looking at Genesect for more answers. Genesect put more energy into his attack, and then I saw that it was trying to use some sort of fire attack. He was trying, but the flame just went dead against the glass, or in the water itself.

The lab was flashing all different colors now. White from the regular lights, red from the alarm, yellow from the electricity, and now orange from the flame. All with really a loud and repetitive, cliche'd sounding alarm. On any other day, I would've joked around that it was a disco or that it would give me a seizure, which I was surprised it didn't, but there were more important things at hand.

_'Wait a second... Fire?' _I observed, my eyes widening at my realization. _'The fireballs that hit Vanillite that day... They came from this direction. The broken glass and wire punishment suggests that Genesect has escaped before, and the pokeballs mean that they were trying to catch it...' _Genesect started violently thumping on the glass walls of his tube. "Sorry, sorry! Now's not the time to be thinking about that, is it?" I apologized hastily as I looked around a bit more. "I'll get you out! Don't you worry!" I said to it as I dashed over to the computers.

From the corner of my eye, I saw that my words had somewhat quelled Genesect. It was no longer being electrocuted, which was a good thing, and instead of flailing about, he just floated there in the water, watching my movements.

"How do I get you out of here...?" I asked myself. After about a minute of quick searching, my results didn't show anything. "Dang it!" Finally giving up, I took out Swanna's pokeball. "Come on out here!"

Swanna winced upon hearing the noise, but easily adjusted herself. The red light that Swanna materialized from didn't even make a difference to the already loud and flashy environment. Speaking of that, the alarm must have gotten louder, because now my ears were pounding more than they were before.

Upon laying eyes on Swanna, Genesect looked like it was about to throw another fit until I said, "Don't worry! This is how I'm getting you out."

Genesect glowered at Swanna, but did as it was told.

"You might wanna brace yourself," I warned it. "Swanna, air slash on the glass! Try to miss Genesect!"

"Swaa!" Swanna screeched as she rushed to the glass tube and swiped it with her wing. She didn't know what a "Genesect" was, but it was easy to assume what it was. I quickly recalled Swanna, not willing to waste any time; praise could come later.

Suddenly, the crack in the tube grew before it collapsed, followed by a wave of fluorescent water spilling out rapidly, knocking me down in the process. Genesect whipped the wires off of him and stepped forward, looking down at me with the intent to attack.

"W-What? No, I'm not one of them, I promise!" I objected, waving my hands furiously. "I let you out, you're free to go! Go on!"

Genesect seemed surprised for a second and stepped back. Something on its back formed what seemed to be a jet pack, and before I knew it, it blasted through the roof, leaving a large bullet hole in the metal rafter.

I stood up and smiled at its disappearing form. "I don't know what they did to you, but you're alright now," I said, not expecting it to hear me. _'Wait a second... I brought my heavy ball! But... I doubt he'd want to be caught anyway,' _I thought with a smile.

I saw Genesect's fleeting form look back down at me before it disappeared completely.

I froze for a second. "Oh, right, time's wasting!" I reminded myself, the alarm and red flashing light irrelevant by now. I quickly ran over to one of the tables and randomly stuffed all of the paper that I could into my satchel before running back to the entrance and pushing the wall.

To my surprise, no one at all seemed to be coming.

I heard a screech come from above me, making me stop in place. However, I was relieved to see Simisage standing on the roof. I quickly searched for his pokeball in my satchel, which was hard due to the excessive crumpled papers, but eventually found it and summoned him back. I switched it out with Stoutland's and summoned him out.

"Time to go," I said as we approached the coastline.

"There you are!" a voice said from near us. I recognized it as the female grunt's.

"Come on, faster!" I warned Stoutland in a hushed tone as we ran to the shoreline. The only thing keeping our identities were the pitch black sky which made everything a shadow and the fact that Stoutland's fur just looked like grass in the wind. We were in the water even before the grunt emerged from the woods. "Good job, buddy!" I praised as we surfed back to the route house leading back to route 1.

Once we hit shore again, Stoutland lazily shook all of the water off of his fur. He slumped to the ground and closed his eyes.

"That tired? But all you did was surf!" I objected. "So lazy," I teasingly complained as I recalled Stoutland to his pokeball. "Alright, Swanna. Your time for air," I said as I tossed her pokeball up and caught it once Swanna materialized. "Follow me; we're going back to Nuvema," I said as we walked through the route house and back into the forest. Swanna had the least time to be out of her pokeball, so I thought that it was only fair.

We took our sweet time walking; neither she or I was in any hurry. During the way, we still heard the rather loud alarm, albeit faintly. Some time after we started, Swanna stopped and put her wing up to stop me from advancing. It was then that I heard footsteps; a lot of them. Then, she flew up into a tree to hide, leaving me in the clear.

"Hey, you jerk!" I accused in a harsh tone as I attempted to climb a nearby tree, but failed to do so. Giving up, I jumped into a nearby bush, ignoring the stinging feeling from the sharp twigs in it. _'Me and my bright ideas...' _I grimaced.

Through the small clearings in the bush, I saw endless feet marching rhythmically with the distant alarm.

I looked up. While I couldn't see anyone's faces, I saw their ginger hair and my eyes widened. _'Team plasma?!__ Why are so many out here at once?!'_

* * *

**Fickle : End**

* * *

Alright, so now for the petty stuff to get out of the way:

I think I'm using Vanillite in this story a bit too much. I don't plan to have him appear for a while after the next chapter, so I think that's fine...

The next chapter won't exactly be "filler," but it won't pick up from where this chapter ended. It'll be a flashback of the raid in the perspective of other people. Now that I have everyone introduced in the story that I need, I'm going to do that, and hopefully explain or introduce a couple of things. But if you guys feel like that'll be a waste of time, please tell me your opinions. If you don't think it's a good idea, I won't do it (or at least I'll post it later).

I know some of you have told me I got the characters right (or at least close), I've decided to try and stop playing around with them. If any of them appear a little off, I'll use the excuse that it's an alternate universe. If they appear too off, please tell me so I can improve on that.

I wasn't sure how else to explain that door on the lab. I'll create a visual if it helps anyone. I wasn't too happy with that scene either... I felt that I didn't get the mood that I was trying to portray, and that my descriptions of it are rather tedious to read.

pokelover619 : Thanks for your opinion. As for the cliffhangers? Haha, I think this'll be the last one (for a while at least). Oh, and for reading the excessive author's note. Thanks for reassuring me on those things, I was pretty sure I got them down wrong.

Kawaiijoltic : Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you enjoy it.

If you don't mind minor spoilers:

The Shadow Triad was following Hilda around. The scenes with Vanillite may have seemed filler, but it actually proved that Hilda was being followed and voice her thoughts (although reading it back, it does seem like filler...). I gave a few hints, such as the atmosphere (it was tense and uneasy, until they left; I think she also said that she felt like she was being watched, despite N leaving), rustling leaves, squashed berries (if you noticed, I never said that Hilda stepped on them herself; she assumed she did though), missing poffins, N talking about picking berries, Ghetsis hesitating to close the door... Yeah, I think that's it.


	7. Got an Alibi? Yes, I do

**Chapter 7 : Got an Alibi?**

* * *

"And so, it is now illegal for pokemon to be owned by trainers. If you would all please deposit your pokemon here, we will liberate them," a plasma grunt announced.

There were worried and outraged cries from the crowd.

Team Plasma had not too long ago rampaged in from Route 1... Who knows exactly where they came from? They had set up a make-shift stage in merely minutes as they ushered everyone out of their houses, their workplace, and from just standing in the street to the middle of town, located in front of Route 1.

There was pushing and shoving; yelling and crying.

Angered by the chaos and diverted attention, the grunt at the podium shrilled, "QUIET!" Everyone immediately calmed down. "Our Lord N has befriended the legendary Zekrom, and he has beaten the Pokemon League," he preached. "Team Plasma will officially be taking over Unova within the near future, and if any of you have a problem with it," the grunt warned, "you may confront our Lord N and the almighty Zekrom about it."

The crowd was full of glares, resulting in the man to smirk.

"That is, if you dare go against the ideals of a legendary pokemon," he dared.

If it wasn't silent earlier, it was now.

"Now, your pokeballs. Don't let us use force."

People looked at each other, not knowing what to do. People conversed about whether it was the right thing to do or not.

* * *

_Cheren_

* * *

"How do we know you aren't lying?!" I yelled out, louder than my usual tone of voice.

Now, lying wasn't my concern; of course, if anyone claimed to catch a legendary pokemon it would definitely be a concern. However, my intention was to try and slap some sense into these people. From what I overheard, people were contemplating on releasing their pokemon. Whether out of fear or agreement to Team Plasma, they were on their way to complying. Had they even considered if Team Plasma would actually liberate their pokemon or not?

"YEAH!" Bianca agreed, seemingly catching onto my plan.

Our little outbursts caused the crowd to go into chaos again.

I nudged Bianca, who flinched at my touch, and gestured my head to the center of the crowd where we thought we saw Hilda. "We should get her and go," I warned Bianca at a low tone. "It's only a matter of time until escape isn't possible."

She nodded her head, determined. "Right." She wasn't happy about having to ditch Nuvema Town, but I reminded her that the two of us and Hilda are the only fighting chance this town has.

We shoved our way through the crowd, but once we got to our desired place, she was no where to be found.

Bianca desperately twisted her head in all different directions, trying to spot Hilda. "I thought I saw her..." Her voice was almost inaudible due to the crowd.

I sighed. "So did I..."

"Are you sure she's here, Cheren?" asked Bianca. "Not that I think you lied, but..."

"Maybe not," I inquired. "But if we can't find her, we have to put ourselves first."

"But-"

"Look," I cut off Bianca, sneering my head around us. "They're surrounding us..."

Bianca was surprised by my interruption but complied. Her eyes only grew seeing all of the grunts. "W-We took too long... Th-This isn't good..."

"We can always battle them," I suggested.

"I'll hold us back though..." rejected Bianca. "And also, you're a much better trainer than me. Even if we win this time around, Team Plasma will come looking for us."

"I suppose you're right..." I sighed, giving in.

"I'm really sorry I can't help..." Bianca's eyes arched, showing how helpless she felt.

I raised an eyebrow. "No, not that. You're right about battling. You aren't as terrible of a trainer that you think you are."

Bianca's eyes grew a little before she shook her head. "And because of my idea to find Hilda, we're stuck here," she said, her eyes darting around, observing the grunts that started to surround us.

"Don't be ridiculous. Your plan was a fiasco, but I agreed to it as well," I told her.

"Tn-Thanks?"

"Plus, I thought I saw her too." I looked behind me just to make sure that I wasn't missing her.

Bianca looked somewhat relieved after I confirmed that I saw her too. She quickly got over it though. "What do we do now?" Bianca asked worriedly.

I bumped up my glasses and glared at the disheveled grunt at the podium, who was fiercely barking out orders. "We wait."

Bianca fidgeted. "Alright then..." Bianca then darted her head to the sky. "Ch-Cheren! L-Look!" she squeaked, pointing a shaking finger.

"Hm..?" I followed her gaze. All I saw was the dark sky. Then, something was faintly glowing. _'...Stars don't glow blue...' _I adjusted my glasses in order to look closer, and flinched when I saw a face. After I composed myself, I was able to see with it was. "...Zekrom?" I almost didn't believe it.

My observation caught the attention of the people closest to us, who started conversing about it trying to make out the figure. Finally, one man called it, "It _is _Zekrom!" followed by a lady's bloodcurdling scream.

_'I realize it's not a daily occurrence, but was it really necessary to scream..?' _I thought, my right ear feeling deaf. I experimentally rubbed my earlobe and was satisfied when I could still hear something.

Soon, everyone's gaze seemed to find their way to Zekrom's face. The grunt at the podium didn't seem to notice what was approaching behind him. The chatter and screaming died down and the grunt smirked.

"Now that you are all civilized," he taunted, "I assure you that our Lord N did indeed befriend Zekrom and beat the Pokemon League single-handedly."

People's eyes widened, followed by gasps. The grunt had a smug grin on, convinced that he pierced everyone's minds with terror, but in reality, it was Zekrom's appearance, which was becoming larger and clearer with each second.

A few yards behind the make-shift stage, Zekrom landed seemingly gracefully, but it was so large and bulky that the ground shook violently. There was an unmistakable "thud" that outdid the lady's scream. Everyone was too shocked to say anything until after the ground stopped shaking. People looked at each other in disbelief and fear, asking each other if it was really true.

"I-It's true, Cheren..." Bianca whispered to me. "A-Are we really g-gonna give in?" she asked, almost scared that I was going to say "yes."

I shook my head. "No. He'll be an obstacle, but if this supposed 'Lord N' is who I think it is..." As if on cue, N, the boy that Hilda and I had met in Accumula Town jumped off of Zekrom and started walking towards the podium, which was now vacant.

"Y-You've met him?!" Bianca asked, confused.

I, however, didn't get the chance to answer.

"Please, people... Please, we can settle this in a calm matter," N preached, his voice amiable and pleading. However, there was a mischievous look in his eye.

_'He's trying to win us over...'_ I observed. I bumped up my glasses, which had apparently shook out of place during the "earthquake." I scoffed. "Not bad..." I muttered.

Bianca seemed to notice this as well. She was looking around her, gasping under her breath when she saw that people were willing to listen to him. "Charm is the most effective way to a person..." she admitted under her breath.

I nodded in agreement. From this moment, we knew that the town would be swayed.

"Please understand; pokemon should be free. They shouldn't be captivated..." N continued, looking down at everyone with a plea.

"What a hypocrite..." I retorted under my breath, with Bianca who nodded at my assertion.

A man next to me had looked at me and overheard what I said. "Oh yeah?! Then why do all of your henchmen have them? And why do _you _have a legendary pokemon in your captivity?!" he countered proudly, as if he thought of that himself.

Bianca and I looked at each other. "Now's our chance," she warned me, her voice almost inaudible despite the silence. Clearly, she had the same idea I did; this guy would start another riot, and in the pandemonium, we would sneak out.

I nodded and looked around for a blind spot. "There," I pointed out, jerking my head to the area of the grunt barricade that seemed the least concentrated on.

Bianca nodded, determined, and we again snaked our way through the back of the crowd.

However, this "escape" didn't even last a second.

"Hush!" the earlier grunt commanded.

N looked back at the grunt and held up a hand to stop him. "No, it's okay... I'll answer any questions." He looked at the crowd with a friendly smile, but I could see the way that his eyebrows were arched.

_'It's a cover,' _I deducted. _'He's actually quite satisfied with himself... Falsely gaining the people's trust.'_

"I did not capture Zekrom... It willingly befriended me," explained N. "If it hadn't, do you really think I'd have the power to keep him in my captivity?" he reasoned.

_'He's right about that...' _I admitted. _'I doubt that a legendary would allow itself to be confined in a pokeball if it didn't want to be.'_

"As for the members of Team Plasma," N continued, "we just want to make sure all pokemon are fairly liberated, and though I don't like this..." N looked away for a second and then shook his head. He held out his arms. "If anyone refuses, we have to use force. I hate battles, but it's for the greater good..." I noticed that despite his genial demeanor, he had an ulterior motive, or at least, he acted like he did.

"Do you believe it, Cheren?" Bianca asked. I could tell it was a genuine question and not her saying that this whole speech was ridiculous.

I ruminated on it and finally muttered back, "To an extent."

"You heard him! Now, hand us your pokemon!" the grunt demanded with a booming voice.

"Allow me," N said, raising another submissive arm. He walked down from the podium and to the crowd. He approached the person closest to him and made eye contact. "Please, understand..." N spoke. "Pokemon are my friends... I only want to see them stop suffering."

_'By giving that guy his sole attention...'_ I observed.

"He's convincing them," Bianca murmured to me, finishing my thoughts.

"It would appear so..."

"Y-You know, Cheren... I think he's being legitimate..."

I looked at Bianca and raised an eyebrow. However, when I thought about it, I agreed to another extent and turned back at the scene before us.

People looked at each other; some unsure, some nodding.

N held out his palms to the person he spoke to. On cue, the Team Plasma grunts that set up a barricade dispersed and approached whomever they could find, holding out expecting hands.

Everyone reluctantly took out their pokeballs. Some muttered goodbyes, but some willingly handed in their pokeballs, convinced of this "liberation."

Bianca tugged at my shirt. "I'm not giving them my pokemon," she informed me. "I don't trust them..."

"Heh... Me either." I smirked, but quickly wiped it off of my face. "Perhaps we can still escape."

Bianca hesitantly nodded and we snaked our way to the back.

"You! Over there!" a harsh voice yelled. "Give us your pokemon!" He seemed to notice our odd behavior.

Bianca halted for a second but kept going, hiding her face from him.

_'Good, we might make it out like this.' _I looked at Bianca and muttered, "Just keep going and-" I was cut off when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

From Bianca's horror-struck face, I could tell that she too was stopped.

"Where are your pokeballs?" the voice asked again, barely suppressing his anger at being ignored.

Bianca and I simultaneously turned our heads back to look at the person who stopped us. "We decided that we aren't giving you our pokemon!" Bianca countered. Her face was confident, but I noticed that her teeth were shaking a little.

_'So she finally found her courage, yet she's still herself...' _I observed. _'An interesting development...'_

"What?!"

Bianca and I looked at each other for a split second before we bolted away, running to where an opening was.

"Quick, to the border," I ordered.

"B-But no one ever goes in the forest..!" she protested, fearful of being caught. However, she followed me anyway.

As soon as we escaped the crowd of people, we tried to run into Nuvema Town's borders, but we were jumped by a Garbordor. Bianca and I halted in place and Bianca almost fell forward due to the momentum. I looked behind us and noticed that we were a good distance away from the crowd.

"And where do you think you're going?" the same voice asked. My eyes followed the sound of his voice, and he was backed by two other grunts.

"Do you think that that's the girl who escaped..?" a female grunt asked the male one next to her, hoarsely whispering.

"The one with the empty pokeballs..? No, I don't recall seeing a guy with her," he responded, also keeping his voice low.

_'An escaped girl...' _I ruminated, recalling the time where I thought I saw Hilda in the crowd. I smirked, barely holding back my chuckle. _ 'She just seems to beat me at everything...' _I looked at Bianca to see if she overheard as well, but all I saw was her frightened features. "Don't worry. No one sees us and we've got quite the prowess."

Bianca gulped, swallowing her fear. She nodded. "Right."

"Are you going to let some low-ranked grunts take you down?" I asked, searching for Liepard's pokeball. I decided that summoning Gigalith or another pokemon with a bulky exterior would attract more grunts towards us.

Bianca shook her head, muttering a "nuh-uh" as she took out a pokeball of her own. "Go Simipour!"

I was curious of her choice. _'Why not Musharna..?'_ However, I chose not to question her battling style as I tossed my pokeball into the air, releasing Liepard.

On cue, the two grunts backing up the one who first approached us and tossed their own pokeballs in the air. "Patrat!" they commanded at the same time.

"A triple battle..?" Bianca asked, somewhat angered at their dirty tricks. She reached into her bag to get another pokemon, but I raised a hand, stopping her.

"Honestly, you don't even need to put that much effort into it," I said.

Bianca looked at me from the corners of her eyes, curious to why I just said that.

"We're outnumbered, they're outmatched. It's as simple as that."

"Hey kid, quit getting cocky and-"

_'You've let your guard down...' _I observed. "Liepard, fake out!" I commanded, making sure my voice wasn't too loud.

"W-Wait a second-"

Liepard purred as he pounced towards Garbardor and clapped his two paws. A split second later, Liepard's front paws turned into large gloved hands and clapped again. It was so strong that the wind from the clap actually damaged Garbardor, albeit not by much, and he flinched.

"Now shadow claw."

Liepard complied as he jumped in the air and swiped the dazed Garbordor with his claws, which were glowing a fatal purple. The Garbordor was clearly hurt, but it stood its ground.

"Garbardor-"

"Simipour, brick break!"

Simipour screeched before jumping in the air, following Liepard's lead as they ganged up on the enemy pokemon.

"H-Hey!" the grunt roared. "What do you think you're doing?!" he asked Bianca, but turned back to the two grunts. "Do something, you dolts!"

"R-Right..." the female grunt apologized. "Patrat! Use hyper fang on Simipour!"

"You too!" the male grunt followed.

Both of the patrats grew their teeth out until it reached their midsections, and with a chatter, their teeth started to glow orange. They simultaneously charged at Simipour, who was awaiting Bianca's orders.

"Quick! Brick break!"

Simipour muttered an agreement as he lifted his hand in the air. His palm grew larger than his face and turned black, and without much effort he karate-chopped the two Patrats that tried to ram into him. They fainted immediately.

The two grunts glowered at Bianca, who had a satisfied look, and backed away. They took out their pokeballs and withdrew their fainted pokemon.

While I was still concentrated on fighting the Garbordor, its trainer wasn't. The grunt that had first approached us was too busy reprimanding the other two to even noticed that the Garbordor was having trouble getting back up; he was done flinching long ago, but had too much trouble trying to dodge on his own. Liepard was having no trouble whatsoever continuously swiping his opponent.

_'Pathetic,' _I spat in my head, giving the grunt a disapproving look, which he clearly didn't notice. "Finish it off with Aerial Ace."

The grunt's head finally snapped back. His eyes widened upon realizing his latent defeat. "Use-!"

Liepard screeched as he jumped into the air, charging back down. His momentum gave him wind power, and he effortlessly swiped the Garbordor, who fainted the next second.

I was about to reprimand the grunt on his crass leadership, but Bianca stopped me before I started.

She looked at me and frowned, shaking her head as she wordlessly returned her Simipour to his pokeball. She tugged on my shirt and bolted the other way.

I sheepishly unsummoned my Liepard and sent the grunt one last disapproving gaze as we ran back towards the crowd. Since entering the forest failed, we'd just have to go into Route 1. However, Bianca came to a sudden halt, skidding a little. Confused by her actions, I too stopped.

"It looks like they have everything planned out," remarked Bianca, a rueful inkling on her face and tone of voice.

I followed her gaze. "Yes, it appears that they have..." I agreed, bumping up my glasses that had bounced out of place during my sprint.

There was a barricade of about a dozen grunts blocking Route 1. Upon seeing us, they all withdrew a pokeball from their pockets, intent on battling if they needed to.

"We can do this," Bianca stated confidently as she took out another pokeball.

"Indeed we can," I agreed once more. I wasn't appeasing her; we actually could. We are some of the strongest trainers in the region, and Team Plasma grunts are always idiotically feasible to beat. I reached for my pokeball but stopped.

"Please... Your pokemon?" a voice asked. It was very faint, but I could hear the slight tint of rage. To add to that, not a drop of kindness was in it, unlike his earlier tone which was glazed in honey.

Bianca gasped as we both turned around. A clearing had been made in the crowd and N stood in between it, holding up a pokeball. Sensing a battle, various grunts cleared the way to make space. It was dead quiet. Eager eyes found their way scattering back and fourth between the three of us.

"I-I don't think I can take on Z-Zekrom..." Bianca whimpered to me, her voice almost mute. Despite this, her face was confident, meaning that she was solely portraying a message.

"Neither can I," I told her, not doing the effort to lower my voice. "But I think _we _can," I finished, pulling out my pokeball, never diverting my eyes away from the figure ahead of us. Zekrom stood proudly behind N. His presence made N look like he was glowing, _'but it's only a trick of the night,'_ I concluded.

"And what will you do then?" challenged Bianca.

Everyone's eyes shifted to N, who remained unfazed. "I'll liberate them."

"Liberate yours first," I challenged.

N looked down, but then back up with a fiery passion. "My pokemon are my friends, but they will soon taste freedom. They have agreed with my ideals and are willing to lend me a hand, as all of Team Plasma's pokemon are." With every blink, his eyes only got more confident.

_'It reminds me of Hilda's...' _I observed. _'If he's as passionate as Hilda, it only makes me wonder who the better trainer is,' _I inquired, no longer shamed by the fact that Hilda was the better trainer than I was. _'Or if this is all just a farce.'_

"And how do you know that our pokemon don't want to stay with us?" Bianca pressed.

"Because... Your pokemon were captured unwillingly," N explained nonchalantly. "Let them taste freedom one last time... Don't you believe that being coerced to confinement in such a small object is at all pleasing?"

"Enough of this. As you can see, a crowd is waiting," I interrupted, gesturing my hands out to the two feeble crowds. I glared at them. _'Pathetic, pitiful bunch... These weaklings won't even take a stand... Or open their eyes at the very least.'_

N nodded. "Very well," he said as he tossed the pokeball in the air. As he did, he used his other hand to quickly grab another from his waist-bag and also threw it in the air. "Vanillite, Archen, please assist me."

"Van!" Vanillite cheered, seemingly happy at the fact that N was relying on him.

Archen just looked away, bored of the situation. He scoffed, but then looked at us confidently.

I took a pokeball out and threw it in the air.

Simisear materialized and looked around; obviously he didn't expect to be called out, because he started jumping around and shooting his head everywhere until I came into vision. Realizing that he was in a battle, he smirked and gave me a thumbs up , turning to face the battlefield._  
_

* * *

_Bianca_

* * *

_'If Cheren is using a Simisear, then I should probably use Simipour...' _I told myself. I mentally shook my head. _'No... Simipour didn't take much damage from the last battle, but N might know that he has brick break...' _I fussed.

"Bianca..." Cheren sighed.

Apparently, I spaced out. "O-Oh, I'm sorry..." I apologized foolishly as I gave in and grabbed Simipour's pokeball. "You're up, Simipour!"

Simipour jounced in place, waiting for me to tell him what to do.

The three of us hesitated in a moment of silence. We stared each other down.

_'This is getting a bit awkward...' _I thought as I shyly raised my hand as if this was a first grade classroom. "U-Uh... Who's going first?" I asked, awkwardly.

N and Cheren looked baffled, but then seemed to think about it and realize just how inept this stare-down was.

Deciding to "pull a Cheren" as I called it, I shrilled, "R-Rock slide on Vanillite!"

Simipour brought up his hands in the air and suddenly, rocks materialized above Vanillite.

"P-Protect!" N ordered, caught off guard.

"Vanillite!" it bellowed confidently and suddenly a glowing shield was placed above his head.

N looked visibly relieved. "Now, Rock Slide on Simisear!" he instructed Archen.

"Dodge it!"

Both actions were carried out by the pokemon at the same time.

"Brick break!" Cheren and I screeched.

Both of our pokemon nodded before jumping up in the air and forming that large black palm. They screeched as they came down on Archen.

"Vanillite, protect again!"

Vanillite bolted over Archen and made another shield. Upon contact, both Simisear and Simipour jumped back.

"Sur-!"

"Bianca, no!"

"Huh?"

"Ancient Power!" roared N.

It was then I realized why using surf wasn't a good idea. Using surf in front of this many people and Cheren's fire type would only cause problems. I wanted to hit myself for what I was about to do and was pretty grateful that Cheren stopped me. But because of that, N got the upper hand.

Before I could even look away from Cheren, I saw Simipour being bombarded by flying boulders that dispersed when they either hit or missed him. "S-Simipour use return!" I commanded.

Simipour was unable to comply to my command. As soon as the words came out of my mouth, N ordered Vanillite to use ice beam, and now Simipour was being ganged up on.

"S-Simipour use... Use..!" I panicked. Double battles I was fine with, just not with one other person. I didn't know how to get Simipour out of this situation without guiding another pokemon to help him, and the other pokemon with me was Cheren's, who wasn't doing anything. I desperately cocked my head and looked at him. Though I refused to show weakness on my face, I pleaded with my eyes.

Cheren held up his finger, which meant "no" or "one moment."

Either way, I died inside. Finally, I desperately screeched, "Rock slide on yourself!"

Simipour looked at me, greatly stunned and startled. His face was mirrored by N's and the crowds, and one second later, his pokemon.

I felt a little conscious with people looking at me, but I tried my best to ignore it. "Rock slide on Archen!" I ordered, taking advantage of everyone's surprise.

Simipour gave me a thumbs up and brought his arms up in the air, screeching at his prowess. The summoned boulders immediately crushed Archen, who didn't get away in time. Archen fell to the ground, twitching as he tried to get up.

"Archen, use-"

"Flamethrower on Vanillite."

"Vanillite, protect!"

N was one second late. Simisear's flamethrower attack did hit Vanillite, who cried out in pain, but he had his protect shield one second later, and now he was unfazed, wincing at his earlier pain.

"Brick break!" I commanded, pointing at Archen.

Simipour couldn't see me pointing, but he could sense it. He jumped up in the air and formed his giant black hand.

"Follow his lead," Cheren adviced Simisear, who complied.

"Archen, dragon claw!"

Just as Archen was about to swipe, Simipour and Simisear had already karate-chopped him, knocking him out in the process.

"Woah... A critical hit," I murmured to myself, awed.

N may have been an enemy, but Cheren and I were fair fighters. We patiently waited for N to release his next pokmeon. "Return," he said as he resummoned Archen.

Suddenly, Simipour landed by my feet, knocked out and muttering in his unconsciousness.

"W-What..?" I wondered, my eyes wide open. It was then that I realized that I must have put my guard down when N's Archen had fainted. He probably told Vanillite to do something. I realized that doting on what happened wouldn't help us, so I got out Musharna's pokeball. I hesitated before throwing it, still confused about what just happened.

"He was telling Vanillite to use return, not Archen," Cheren informed me under his breath, knowing that I didn't quite get what just happened.

"Oh..." I felt like a ditz.

N got out his pokeball and looked me over to make sure I had one too.

"Carracosta!"

"Musharna!"

Two red lights illuminated both sides of the "battlefield."

Carracosta grumbled something that I didn't understand.

Musharna, on the other hand, yawned. "Muuu..." she sighed.

"Flamethrower on Vanillite!"

Simisear complied within the same exact second, not giving N the time to even react.

"VAAN!" it screeched, easily succumbing to the flames.

"Yawn on Carracosta!"

"Low kick!" N ordered on Musharna. Once that was done, he looked over to Vanillite, who was engulfed in flames, and strangely couldn't levitate any longer. I thought I heard it crying, but that could have been anyone.

Cheren took a note of this and withdrew Simisear. The same exact second, Gigalith had been brought out.

_'He's so fast..!' _I noted, shocked by Cheren's quick thinking.

"Muush!" Musharna shrilled with terror as Carracosta kicked her, sending her flying back a good few feet.

After then, Carracosta collapsed the ground and slept, snoring rather loudly.

"Musharna..." I whimpered as she skidded to my feet.

Musharna picked up her body and floated back up, barely making it.

"Earthquake."

Everyone's heads shot to Cheren, who seemed either ignorant or apathetic.

Gigalith complied without a second thought. The ground started to violently shake and dust clouds started forming. I was so shocked that I dropped Musharna's pokeball, which rolled away due to the vibrations.

_'Th-This earthquake is stronger than it usually is..!' _I noticed, _'Yet why don't I feel it hurting me?' _I looked at Cheren for answers.

He simply jerked his head towards Gigalith, who exhausted in front of him, and then towards Route 1 which was now unblocked. Cheren made a dash for it, leaving me alone with my exhausted Musharna. All I heard was screaming and barking orders.

_'Cheren made sure that earthquake was so powerful that it would create this dust cloud... But in the process...' _I pitifully looked at Gigalith's fainted form, which was gradually being masked by dust. I squatted down to Musharna. "I don't have time, your pokeball fell, and I can't see!" I told her hastily, making sure to keep my voice at a low. The dust had now reached well above our heads and I couldn't see more than three feet in front of me. "Use your dream mist and make it look like you fainted, but fly away and hide behind a roof or something and I'll come get you later, okay?"

Musharna weakly nodded and flew off, mixing her pink dream mist with the brown dust cloud.

I ran after the direction Cheren ran to, still unable to see in front of me. I tripped on something, letting out a gasp, but when I looked at my feet saw Musharna's pokeball. _'Good!' _I thought excitedly as the dust started to gradually go down. Realizing that my time to escape was almost up, I picked up on my feet and began running again, only too be knocked over. "Oof!" I looked forward and didn't see anything. Next to me, I saw that Cheren had the same event.

The dust started clearing and assuming that we wouldn't get up in time, I asked Cheren, "You weren't really going to abandon Gigalith, were you?"

Cheren seemed dazed. "O-Of course not... P-Pokeballs can work f-from a distance..." he stuttered. He must have hit his head or something.

The dust cloud cleared and all eyes were on us again; specifically N's, which were full of rage.

"Zekrom," he commanded as he stared down at us.

Cheren and I looked at each other. We were still lying on the floor for some reason.

"This isn't good..." we muttered to each other.

* * *

_Ghetsis_

* * *

"Carracosta, Vanillite, return!" N called out as he help up his pokeballs.

One red light went off, and that was Carracosta's.

"Vanillite?!" N called out, only to be drowned out by everyone else's screaming. I was staring to see less and less of him as the smoke cloud kept growing.

"It's time to crawl out of the shadows," I confirmed, stepping out from behind the trees followed by the Shadow Triad. "Make sure that those two don't escape."

"Yes my Lord," the one in front replied as the three of them bowed and disappeared into thin air.

"Vaan... V-Vaan!" Vanillite cried as it floated past me, running away like a coward. He almost dropped a few times, but kept striving to escape.

"V-Vanillite!" N called after it while trying to follow it. When he was about to run past me, I put my hand up. N looked at the hand and then at me, his eyes wide. He stared after Vanillite, whose form was most likely disappearing into the forest. "Vanillite..! I know that the Simisear hurt you, but the Gigilath couldn't! You can levitate!" He then turned to me with a face of desperation.

"You are a king," I reminded him. "Are you just going to disappear?" I asked, my tenseness mirrored in my voice.

"B-But-"

"No. I recall teaching you about your responsibilities as King." I put him down coldly, amused when I saw that he only looked more desperate. Realizing that this was only stalling time and that the dust cloud was slowly eroding away, I knew what I had to do to appease N. "I will look for him and bring him back."

N's smile grew with his eyes. "Thank you-"

"Get back to your place," I snapped, bitterly turning around and walking into the forest. I wasn't satisfied in searching for a weakling. Since the day N had captured it, the Vanillite hadn't done anything productive whatsoever.

I let out an angry sigh once I was alone. Now that I was out searching for this pathetic pokemon, I couldn't make sure that N was doing what he needed to do. If that foolish boy made one mistake, I couldn't snap his head off; he was a figurehead which I needed. Frankly, I don't know what I would do if he did anything foolish, and that only added to my stress.

Eventually I found the Vanillite, lying by a tree stump. Upon seeing me, it gave a faint smile. "Van..."

I was about to pick it up and drag it back to N, but I took one last look at it, scrutinizing its ever detailed. One simple attack and it was already a disheveled mess. It barely caused any damage to the other pokemon as well.

"Van... Vanillite..." it sighed again, looking back up at me with curious eyes, one twitching from its injuries.

"You're pathetic," I spat.

Vanillite froze. Its ghost-of-a smile had left completely.

"Don't bother coming back," I hissed as I turned around, my flowing robe hitting it in the face. I started to walk away, but the Vanillite floated in front of me. I could feel my blood boiling.

"Van..." Vanillite pleaded, a look of worry on its face. It coughed and then fell to the ground, still looking back up at me. "Vanillite..!"

"You've been liberated," I told it again. "Get it through your thick head. You aren't needed."

"Van!" Vanillite persisted, coughing again at the amount of air it required to retort.

_'I don't have time for this.' _I took out a pokeball. "Cofagrigus, toxic," I ordered as I threw the pokeball in the air.

Cofagrigus knew enough not to question my motives anymore. He lifted his hands to the air and under Vanillite formed bubbly purple grog.

Vanillite's screams came out muffled as it sunk into the toxic attack. I watched it until it was completely submerged. With it out of my sights, I no longer had anything to amuse myself with. "If that eyesore tries to return, make sure it doesn't. Use whatever force necessary and find me later," I ordered Cofagrigus as I navigated my way back to Nuvema Town.

The walk back was not any better than the search, but at the very least, I could convince N to capture a new pokemon in due time.

Before I stepped out of the forest, I felt a familiar presence. "Your cloaking is improving," I remarked, impressed.

Realizing that they had been spotted, the Shadow Triad revealed themselves. "We refrained them from leaving just as you requested, Lord Ghetsis."

"Good. What has happened in my absence?"

"As soon as the dust cleared out, N summoned Zekrom to do the rest of the battle. He was convulsed that the boy's Simisear had caused his Vanillite to run away in fear. He ended it rather quickly, and we have taken their pokeballs into our custody."

I nodded. "Very well. You have done a good job."

"Thank you, my Lord."

"Where is everyone now?" I asked, looking past the trees and seeing very few people.

"My Lord, you were gone for some time."

Curious, I looked down at my wrist which had a digital watch. Apparently, I had been walking around for over two hours, looking for that pathetic thing. _'What a waste of time and energy...'_

"And N fears for your and Vanillite's safety."

I sighed. "Where is the boy?"

The third member of the Shadow Triad stepped aside, revealing N standing some distance away in a small clearing of the forest. "We were willing to escort him out, but he requested that he would wait for you."

I rubbed the bridge of my nose in agitation. "Alright, you are dismissed," I said, waving a submissive hand.

They bowed and disappeared into thin air.

I made my way to the small clearing. N beamed upon seeing me, but I paid no attention to it. Soon, that happiness turned into distraught. I smirked upon seeing it.

I wasn't willing to let N get a word in, so I advised him instead. "You must get a new pokemon. As king, you cannot show any weakness."

N's face went from distraught to crestfallen. "You didn't find him?" His voice trailed off.

"I've been out looking for him for a while now, and I couldn't find him," I replied.

N looked frightened. He paled. "We have to look for him-"

"No!" I snapped. "Are you forgetting your duties as King?"

"Th-Then I'll ask everyone to-"

"NO!" I snapped again. _'That irate little boy just doesn't get it,' _I cursed. If it wasn't for his abilities, I wouldn't have kept this around for that long. I tried to keep my temper, but knew that if I did, N would keep asking senseless questions. "I'll alert everyone on Team Plasma. We'll keep an eye out, but no one else shall know about your missing pokemon. In the meantime, find a replacement."

N, realizing he couldn't win, nodded. "Alright. I'll leave it to you then."

I smirked. "Good. Now, go back to the castle and gather your things. We won't be returning for a while."

N nodded and took out summoned Zekrom. He got on and flew off, but not before sending me a pleading look.

I turned around and went to find anyone. I would alert them to look out for Vanillite. I was confident that no one would find him; Cofagrigus is doing his job right now. If that thing knew what was best for it, it wouldn't come back.

* * *

_Looker_

* * *

"What's going on now?" asked someone from my radio.

I clicked the button. "N just took down two trainers with his Zekrom."

"He has Zekrom?!"

"SHH!" I scolded. "No one can see me." I scratched the back of my head and clicked the button again. "But... Did I forgot to mention that?"

Static came from the radio, indicating that it was on, but no one replied until a few seconds later. "What are they doing now?"

"Let me check," I said as I peered over the corner of the building I was hiding behind. "It appears that they have escorted N out. Everyone is still there, waiting for further orders."

"Looker," the voice on the other side asked. "Did everyone give away their pokemon?"

"It would appear so."

"Was it by force?"

"The majority? No. With the exception of two trainers, everyone willingly handed in their pokeballs."

There was more static.

"Are you there? Are we having communication problems?" I asked hastily, practically bashing down on the button.

"Looker. What happened with those two trainers?"

"They tried to leave, but they were blocked. They were completely capable of defeating the grunts, but they were defeated when N came along," I explained. "They stalled by using Earthquake and tried to leave again. However, they fell down, dropping most of their pokeballs."

The static was louder, but I could still make out a voice. "If that's the case, it's not good enough. It doesn't suffice."

"Are you being legitimate right now?!" I snapped.

"Alright. Are the people willingly letting Team Plasma rule them?"

Before I could answer, I heard everyone from the crowd chanting "PLASMA!"

"I'll take that as a yes..." the voice said. He sighed. "This means we can't do anything."

"What?!" I screeched into the communicator. "This is clearly a-"

"Just keep an eye out, alright?" the voice cut me off. "I'm as piqued about this as you are, but it doesn't follow the guidelines."

I sighed. "Are there really no other options?"

"According to them, there aren't. You'll just have to wait until they get out of line."

That irritated me. "Alright. I'm cutting off now," I said I slid the communicator in my pocket. _'The quicker I act the quicker we're done.'_

* * *

**Yes, I do : End**

* * *

Alright, this was a pretty quick update. I was really motivated to write yesterday, so I finished it. Plus, since it's just an event that already happened, there's no need to be lengthy. This chapter existed to show what was going on in everyone's heads, what Ghetsis really did to Vanillite, and why the international police isn't doing anything about it. Also about Musharna's "escape" and how N got a hold of the pokemon in the first place.

If you're wondering why there was no fight scene with Zekrom, it was because of two things. Firstly, because I discovered that I can't write fighting scenes that well. Secondly, I felt that it would be more powerful if it was cut off "off screen," leaving it to your imagination.

The three grunts that approached Hilda in Chapter 1 are the same ones that approached Cheren and Bianca.

The reason why some pokemon don't talk (for example, Archen, Stoutland, elemental monkeys, ect) is I don't exactly know what they'd say. I know Stoutland barks, but what do I type? "Ruff?" As for the monkeys, they only words I can think of to describe them is "screech" and "holler." If any of you have any ideas, feel free to tell me.

It also explains why Vanillite was a little uneasy every time he heard that someone was being "liberated."

Kawaiijoltic : I'm glad to hear that. Your review actually motivated me to write this chapter so quickly. As for the Shadow Triad and the Striaton Brothers? Sadly, I won't give you a straight answer on that because I did have something in mind for later on. You'll just have to find out. (I didn't say yes or no =P)

And cool, another follower. Thanks. Your support means a lot.


	8. Infestation

**Chapter 8 : Infestation**

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me..." I muttered, watching the endless grunts in disbelief. "Where do they all come from?" Desperate, I looked around for Swanna. "Hey... Swanna! Swanna, are you there?" I murmured to the trees above me.

Swanna peeked her neck out from the leaves, resulting in a few stray ones to fall down. I was nervous that a grunt might have seen it, but when they kept marching on and scattering in different directions, I was quelled, if only ephemerally.

"Swanna, use Rain Dance," I told her in a loud whisper.

Swanna nodded her head and went back to hide in the trees.

"You're a gem," I thanked her. _'Maybe since it's raining... They'll all go home?' _I thought hopefully as I waited for Swanna to initiate the attack. I was pretty doubtful it would work, but at the very least it was an idea.

The sky was already dark, but one could still tell that clouds were gathering. A few grunts looked up, but others didn't and kept wandering about.

A female grunt held her hand up to the sky. "Rain..?" she wondered out loud. She turned to some of her comrades around her. "Do you think that we should go back and search tomorrow?"

"No," rejected a male grunt near her. "Lord Ghetsis would never forgive us if we don't find Genesect."

_'That's too bad, because Genesect is long gone,' _I countered in my head, giggling.

"It's really starting to pick up..." another male grunt observed.

"I'm getting wet!" complained a different grunt.

"Keep searching," commanded the grunt that rejected the idea of going back. "We cannot fail Lord Ghetsis. Do you hear that alarm in the distance? It has been becoming louder with every minute we waste!"

"That alarm was a terrible investment," commented the first female grunt.

"No kidding," he agreed.

"Where would Genesect go though?" wondered one of the grunts that wasn't in my field of vision. "Lord Ghetsis sent out two dozen of us, but even if we find it, how do we restrain it? It's legendary!"

_'A legendary?!' _I thought, my eyes widening in shock. I almost gasped out loud.

"It beats me," the female grunt shrugged. She sighed tiredly. "But whatever is in the forest now isn't getting out."

_'Great...' _I complained. I looked up at the tree that Swanna was hiding in. "Swanna," I hoarsely whispered.

"Did you say something?" a grunt asked.

"No, not me..."

_'Oh, they didn't notice me... Good,' _I thought, relieved.

Swanna peeked her head out of the tree again, but retracted upon seeing that the number of grunts grew.

"Can you somehow intensify the rain?" I asked, keeping my volume lower than it was before.

Swanna looked around her, as if saying she would try, and she retreated back into the tree. After about two minutes, she came back out, shaking her head no.

"Er... Thanks anyway," I replied, keeping my voice at a low. "Swanna... I can't take you back into your pokeball now, so fly from tree to tree until you reach the border of Nuvema. Stay put after, alright?"

Swanna retreated back into the tree and then hopped to another one when no one was looking.

_'Good... I just hope no one notices her now. I'll put her back into her pokeball when I catch up.'_

With Swanna's presence gone, the rain started to lift. The grunts didn't seem to notice as they just kept looking around.

_'This bush is starting to hurt...' _I complained, feeling a twig trying to pierce itself into my cheek. I tried fidgeting around to fix my position, but it didn't work.

"Hey, look! The bush is moving!" a grunt excitedly pointed out.

"Yeah, I think it was!"

"Is it Genesect?"

I could hear a footsteps closing in on the bush I was hiding in. _'Me and my bright ideas...' _I mentally sighed, but then remembered the dire situation I was in. I bolted from the bush and ran away as fast as I could, thanking the night for masquerading my identity.

"H-Hey, there it goes!"

"Quick, after it!"

_'I'm not a pokemon..!' _I cried in my head as I hid behind a tree. I leaned on it and caught my breath. I was never a runner. I was fast, but I couldn't keep it up for long.

"This way!"

"Are you sure?!"

"Yes, yes! Now just find it!"

I took a nose dive into another nearby bush, hoping that they wouldn't notice.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what..?"

"It came from there!"

_'Dang it...'_ I imprecated. I crawled out of the bush and back into the open. To my encouragement, the grunts weren't around. I crawled out a little more, keeping my head down as if there was a one hundred pound weight on it. When I was nearing a nearby tree, I got impatient scurried behind it. It was then that I decided that I needed to take a risk. _'I hope this works...' _I anticipated as I called out Simisage, whose appearance resulted in a red light that was painfully obvious due to the dark sky.

"Over there!"

"We found it?!"

I brought my finger to my lips to tell Simisage not to speak as he materialized before me. "Can you get me up on a tree?" I murmured. "Quickly," I added hastily.

Instead of doing the usual routine, Simisage wasted no time trying to climb a tree. He probably sensed that the people were approaching. Instead, he grabbed me by his tail and flung me up into the tree.

I was too shocked to retaliate. Luckily, my body flung over an extended limb. Before I could call Simisage out on it, I remembered that people were approaching. "Return!" I called out lowly as Simisage dissolved back into the red light of its pokeball. I sighed with relief; both that the grunts didn't find Simisage and that I didn't fall off of a tree.

"Over there! The light again!"

"It has to be Genesect!"

"Be careful! I think it's trying to attack!"

I hurriedly caught my balance on the limb and crawled my way towards the trunk of the tree, which was masqueraded with a large thicket of leaves. I was able to see below me, but they couldn't see me.

"It was just here!" exclaimed a male grunt. "I was sure I saw it!"

A handful of grunts into my field of vision as I looked down at them.

"So was I!"

There was nodding and murmuring among the handful of people.

I was almost about to fall off the limb, and suppressing a gasp, I clasped the branch with all of my might. In return, my movement caused the branch to move, if only slightly.

A female grunt's head snapped in my direction. She pointed a finger at me screeching "there!"

I paled. I stood up from the branch, any fear of falling replaced with a fear of getting caught, and I ran to the end of the branch, jumping onto a new tree. My foot slip when I landed, but I used my hands to grab onto the limb and pull myself up. I knew well enough to not speak.

"Genesect is escaping!" the female grunt yelled again.

I heard footsteps jogging over to my tree. In a rush, I quickly pulled myself up and unstably crossed to another limb, jumping from that one to another tree. My balance was better this time. I shook and tripped forward, face-planting myself on the next tree's trunk, but I didn't fall off. I would've congratulated myself if it wasn't for the hyper beam that was shot just a few inches from my face.

"Did you get it?!"

"No!" a grunt barked back. "Hyper beam again!"

I heard a pokemon's growl and instinctively jumped to the side, catching myself on a higher tree limb.

"Again!" the grunt commanded.

My eyes widening, I grabbed on to the higher tree limb and pulled myself up, my legs kicking in desperation. I was able to haul myself up just as the attack finished. Exhausted, I hung on the branch by curling my stomach for a good five seconds.

"I think we got it!"

"Alright. Liepard, climb up the tree and get it down!"

My eyes widened upon realizing what was about to happen. I jolted up and ran to the edge of the branch, jumping onto the next tree. Thankfully, the trunk was close and I hugged it for dear life. Hyperventilating, I looked back to see the silhouette of a Liepard searching around the tree limbs for "Genesect."

_'So they didn't see me move...'_ I thought with relief. _'I should still keep moving though,' _I decided as I circumvented around the tree trunk, tapping my foot in mid air until I felt another limb. I shyly stepped onto the next limb and repeated this process until I was around to the other side. I inched my way to the middle of the branch. I ran the rest of the way and jumped, landing on another branch with ease. _'Hey... This is getting pretty easier,' _I thought as I crouched down.

"So, where is it?!"

I turned around. By now I was some distance away from the group that was following me. I couldn't see their faces, but I could make out their bodies.

I heard the sound of a Liepard meowing.

"You didn't get it?!" the grunt asked, enraged.

I twisted my body back around and looked around me, tuning out the others' voices. There were tree limbs spread out before me, some higher and some lower. Thinking about how Simisage moved, I experimentally jumped in the air and grabbed an upper limb with my palms and used it to swing to another limb that was at about the same level as the first. I made a swift landing, quite impressed with myself.

I jumped to the next tree. This time, I jumped to a lower limb and immediately pounced back up and grabbed an upper limb, swinging to the next. I didn't even bother to pause before jumping to the next tree. Perhaps it was my nervousness that was refraining me from jumping at ease.

_'Hey, this is pretty fun...' _I thought to myself, motivated at how Simisage was able to move so freely like this. I started jumping from tree to tree without difficulty. After about a minute of hopping, I heard different voices and came to a halt. I sat on the branch I was on and looked down, seeing another handful of grunts.

"What? So that's why the alarm went off?" asked a distraught grunt.

The scientist from earlier that was chasing Looker nodded furiously.

A familiar voice spoke, but from my angle I couldn't see her. "After one of us left to deliver the device, I heard some things and went to look for it. I saw his shadow, but I couldn't catch up to him. He was cutting down trees like a mad man!" she bellowed. "And finally, I lost track of him."

"That was when he came to the lab,"the scientist explained. "He set off the alarm by entering the false entrance. I ran to battle him but he ran away again!"

"Are you sure that he's around here?!" asked the earlier grunt.

The scientist nodded furiously. "You have to find him!"

The grunt looked tense. "First Genesect and now an intruder!" The grunt snapped his head to the handful of grunts standing behind him, some of which I couldn't see. "Spread out and look for them!" he ordered.

The group behind him dispersed as the grunt started to reprimand the female grunt and the scientist.

I felt a smirk grow on my face. _'Looker is probably long gone. That man isn't a fool. He's quite the ditz though.' _I stood up on my branch and continued to tree hop, hoping that no one would notice the moving branches and rustling leaves.

"Swaa," a voice cut me off.

"Huh?" I stopped short. "Gah!" I gulped as I almost missed the limb I was jumping to. Luckily, it was close enough to the tree trunk so that I could grab it. I hastily looked around me, hyperventilating from the shock. Eventually, my eyes found its way to something white. "Swanna..?" I called out reluctantly, making sure to keep my voice at a low.

In response, the white object moved towards me.

I sighed with relief upon seeing her face. "You scared me..." I replied, giving out one last huff of air. I rustled through my satchel and found Swanna's pokeball. "So Nuvema should only be a short distance away, right?" I asked her, holding up her pokeball.

She nodded as I returned her to her pokeball, illuminating the tree that we were standing on.

_'The light shouldn't be that much of a problem... I'm almost home anyway,' _I decided as I continued to tree hop in the direction I was going.

"I saw it over there!"

"Genesect!"

"Don't let it get away!"

I smirked and gave out something that sounded like a cackle. _'Or... I could play around for a while.' _My smirk grew as I started leaping from tree to tree, making sure that my movement looked more obvious than earlier. It was funny; I was jumping as if I was Simisage, squatting as I landed and everything. I just felt this sudden rush of power through me.

I heard the grunts running after me, screaming out all sorts of things. For example, "Before it gets away!" which only made me feel like laughing. However, my fun was soon over when the tree branch that I had launched myself off of only a second prior was engulfed in flames.

I stopped my advancing and stood up, looking backwards at the scorched limb with wide eyes.

"Flamethrower again!"

"Hyper beam!"

"Cut!"

All of the sudden, there were about two hyper beams and three flamethrowers that illuminated the nearby trees surrounding me, sending pillars of light into the pitch black sky. The power was so intense that I could practically feel the heat on my face, even though it was a few yards away. At the same time, two or three trees fell down. One next to me and one behind me, causing me to jump with a start. The fires dispersed quickly though, reminding me that not all grunts were fools

My eyes probably couldn't get any wider as I realized the situation I put myself in. I jumped from tree to tree for dear life.

"There it goes!"

"Again!" all of the grunts that were following me exclaimed.

I was too busy trying to escape to look back at the attacks, but I saw a light reflected upon some of the surrounding trees and felt the heat on my back, alongside a "thud" or two. _'What did I get myself in to..?' _I thought with regret. I started hyperventilating from the rush, but in some sort of odd way, I was getting a thrill out of it.

"Keep it up!"

"Don't stop!"

"Again!"

I paled when I heard those chants and tried to jump faster. _'Man... Do I have anything purple in here?!' _I wondered as I looked down at my satchel. That was a mistake, for when my eyes diverted away, I had missed the tree limb I jumped for. "GAAH!" I screeched as I fell to the ground, somewhat grateful that another falling tree hid my outburst. "Oof..!" I hissed as I impacted the floor. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt that much, but the impact was a shock enough.

"I think I got it!"

"It's over there!"

"Use bite!"

I paled and clenched my teeth, jolting upright as I started to run away.

I could hear whatever pokemon that had been commanded to use bite land where I just was.

"Phew..." I muttered under my breath as I continued jogging, allowing myself this one feeling of relief. I dismissed any feeling of relief the next second and continued running, fully determined to get out of this predicament. The only bright sides to this was that it gave more time for Genesect to run away, if it even needed the assistance, and that I was having fun messing with the grunts. However, the cons outweighed the pros, and I was running for my life. It was pretty fair to say that my chances of getting out of this one was slim.

"Genesect is still running away!"

"Why isn't it just flying away?!"

I paled.

"We hit it back there, remember? It's probably injured!"

I would've sighed with relief if I didn't feel a presence land behind me. It caused me to run even faster.

"Bite again! Keep going until you get it!" a grunt ordered. His voice was now somewhat distant, meaning that the pokemon were going faster than their trainers.

I used all of my might to run as fast as I can. I stopped myself from hyperventilating, but I could tell that I was going to collapse from exhaustion soon. _'Out of all the things out there, running had to be my weakness,' _I thought with a scowl. I kept running in a zig-zag pattern to avoid the pokemon attacks. Thankfully, this proved to be useful as the pokemon would only pounce next to me instead of at me. I was running out of energy though, and it had only been about 15 seconds with at least a dozen attacks.

"All of you! Bite at the same time!"

I felt sweat. Deciding to give up, I came to a halt, waiting for the pokemon to come at me. Instead, they jumped over me and to where I would've been if I kept going. My eyes widened upon realizing what happened, and a victorious smirk grew on my face as I bolted left past some bushes. Once I was sure that they couldn't see me, I collapsed into a bush, breathing heavily to catch my breath. Reminding myself of earlier, I didn't care to fix my position when twigs started piercing my legs.

"Where is it?!"

"Look for it!"

"Wait!" screamed a female grunt.

My interest piqued, I used my hands to create a small clearing in the bush. It was still pitch black out so I still couldn't see their faces, but I was able to make out a few silhouettes. I saw about four Liepards and two grunts, but there were probably more out of my field of vision.

"Let's just burn this place down!" she suggested.

I paled. _'Burn it down..? Are they crazy?!'_

"WHAT?!" another grunt exclaimed. "That's ridiculous!"

"But think about it," reasoned the female grunt. "Genesect will have to come out if there's a fire. That spy as well."

"Hm..." a grunt from out of my vision considered. "It's seems like a favorable idea."

"Think about it!" rejected the same grunt from earlier. "Lord Ghetsis will not be pleased when he finds out we caused this much trouble!"

"Huh..?" the female grunt asked. She leaned down to her Liepard. "Genesect is close by, isn't it?! Find it!"

I clenched my teeth in anxiety. _'Not good...'_

The Liepard pounced in the air as I braced myself for impact, but to my surprise, nothing came. I slowly opened my eyes and peered out of the small hole that I made in the bush, just in time to see the Liepard charge in the direction opposite of me.

"G-GAAU!" screamed a familiar voice.

"There! Get it!" the female grunt commanded as the three Liepards and the other grunts ran for the noise.

"Hmm..?" I wondered, a mischievous grin on my face. "It would appear that they've mistaken a comrade for Genesect." I looked around me and found a tree with grooves in it, almost like a natural ladder. I climbed up and hoisted myself on to a tree branch. I made sure that I was steady on it before I started hopping from tree to tree in the direction of the noise.

"So you're the spy!" an accusing voice declared from a short distance away.

My facial features hardened. _'Looker..!' _I quickened my pace. At some point a few seconds later, I looked down and saw a gathering of some sort. Carefully sitting down, I laid down on the branch and started to watch the show.

There was a figure bowing on the floor, twitching a little. He groused to himself in pain, but kept it at a minimum. "You know... Th-That kinda hurt," he said.

_'Alright... That's definitely Looker,' _I confirmed, identifying his voice and doltish behaviour.

"Hmph. Now tell me, where is Genesect?!" a female grunt demanded.

"Genesect?" Looker asked, still looking at the ground. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Quit playing! We know you have it!" accused a male grunt. "If you aren't willing to answer to us, maybe you'll answer to our Lord Ghetsis!"

"Heh. I don't have anything to spill," remarked Looker in a snide fashion.

"Help me take him back!" the grunt ordered as they approached Looker.

_'I can't just leave him,'_ I realized. _'Now think... You have but a few seconds to think of a master plan...'_ I looked around me, not expecting to find anything. All I saw were limbs and leaves, alongside the long jump down that was practically suicidal. In front of me was a somewhat smaller tree that had far less of a jump down.

"Hah! You have me now, but you will never find out anything!" Looker bellowed proudly.

"Do you even know the situation that you're in?!" the grunt countered. "Now let's go!"

The few grunts started escorting Looker away, their Liepards following cautiously behind.

_'I got it!' _I rejoiced. Grabbing onto the tree branch for dear life, I started shaking it up and down as much as I could. To my comfort, many leaves started falling down and everyone's heads shot in my direction.

Using their attention to my advantage, I pounced to the smaller tree. The branch I landed on was conveniently right above Looker and the two grunts escorting him. I had shaken the other tree limb so hard that it was still shaking by the time I jumped off, still sending leaves to the ground.

"Genesect!"

"All of you, use bite on that spot!"

The two grunts and Looker looked eagerly at the spot, or at least from what I could tell.

_'This is my only chance,' _I warned myself. I reluctantly sat on the branch and laid down. I used my feet to hold myself onto the branch as I lowered myself and tapped Looker on the shoulder.

"What-"

"SH!" I hushed him shortly. I was relieved when I didn't fall over the branch and topple onto the ground. Also, the Liepards' growls drowned out sound out.

From what I could tell, his eyes widened, but a few seconds later he was able to determine it was me.

"There's nothing there!" the female grunt exclaimed.

I extended my arm, using my other one to hold onto the branch. Looker grabbed it, and without much effort I was able to hoist him up to the branch. I had always been quite physically strong. He sighed as he caught his balance on the branch and then shot his head back to the two guards below us.

"H-Hey! That guy is missing!"

"WHAT?!"

"Quick, find him!"

We saw a few grunts run in different directions, all of them haranguing about the spy that escpaed.

"Hilda. That's you, right?" he asked reluctantly.

I nodded, but remembering that it was pitch black and everything looked like blobs, I muttered an "mhm."

"What are you doing out here?" he questioned, making sure his voice was at a low.

"Oh, just picking some berries," I said, looking around to see if there were any.

"Well, thanks anyway," he replied gratefully. "I was sure that they would have me."

"They _did _have you," I retorted, smirking to myself.

"Er... Yeah," Looker replied. I heard a chafing noise, so I assumed he was sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "I was actually doing some reconnaissance and found a secret housing complex, but I set off an alarm."

"Yeah, I saw that," I informed him. "I was hiding out on the roof. There was a trick door."

"E-Eh? Why didn't you stop me?"

"Well, I didn't want to be caught, so I waved a hand but you didn't see it." I shrugged.

"I see..." he muttered to himself. "I'm really losing my touch. A few years back, this wouldn't have happened during my time investigating Team Galactic."

I raised an eyebrow. "Team who?"

"That's a story for another time," Looker replied. "Anyway, we have to get out of here."

"Yeah, I assumed so..."

"The alarm is only getting louder and louder."

"It is?" I questioned. That's when I heard it, and it was indeed getting louder. I must have tuned it out. "It is..."

"We'll discuss our findings when your friends give the signal," Looker informed me, "but for now, we must return to town before anyone notices."

"Speaking of that... Where are you staying?"

"Around," he replied indifferently.

"Uh-huh..."

* * *

Looker and I had trouble navigating our way out of the forest. The trip back was silent for the two of us; we were too busy dodging search parties to converse about anything. By the time we were back in Nuvema, the sun was starting to rise, albeit faintly. At the very least, we were both skilled at jumping tree limbs.

When I got home, I collapsed on the couch, again too tired to migrate back to my bed. I awoke with a start, only to realize that it was already the afternoon.

_'The raid..!' _I remembered as I bolted out of my house and grabbed my satchel, uncaring for my disheveled appearance. I jogged my way over to the center of town, glowering when I saw that Route 1 was being guarded even more heavily than it usually was. _'Well... There goes reconnaissance.'_

Before I could sulk back to my house, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Huh?" I wondered and turned around. It was a grunt. "Does N need me or something?" I asked.

The grunt looked confused, but shook his head.

"...Looker?" I asked hesitantly, keeping my voice at a near-mute volume.

The grunt shook his head yes, his eyes darting left and right to make sure no one had heard.

"Haha. It feels like I've only seen you five minutes ago," I replied as I followed Looker back to the lab. "But you disappeared. A pity. We could've had morning tea."

To my surprise, there were only two guards today. They let us in without a second though, which I found just a bit suspicious. After we entered, Looker ripped off his disguise and threw it, uncaring for where it landed. I shot him a glare, which went unnoticed. We walked over to the other room.

"Oh, good, you arrived quite quickly," Cheren remarked.

Bianca yawned and stretched, implying that she just woke up.

"What about you?" I asked Looker, eyeing him curiously. "You haven't said a word since you caught me on the street."

"Some of the grunts from last night recognize my voice," he explained.

"What happened last night?" asked Bianca, her voice somewhat mundane. She stretched again.

Looker and I looked at each other. I gestured for him to explain.

"Well, I got a tip off that there was a Team Plasma hideout back in Route 17," he explained.

"Route 17?" Professor Juniper's father asked. "How did you get there?"

Looker shrugged. "Who knows? I just randomly walked around."

"Some plan," I remarked with a teasing smirk.

"Ha. Well anyway, it was night by the time I found the hideout. It was a small shack of some sort," he recalled, a distant look in his eye as if he was trying to remember every detail. "There was a trick door, and I triggered an alarm. However, who I saw wasn't from Team Plasma, but just a scientist."

"So in the end you found nothing out," Professor Juniper summarized.

Looker shook his head. "I ran away from the scientist and found my way back to the forest again. That was when I saw a group of Team Plasma grunts huddled together."

Cheren's eyes shot up. "What were they doing?"

"Searching for some thing called 'Genesect,'" he explained. He looked up at the ceiling and started tapping his cheek with his finger. "And talking about some sort of device. Probably this 'Genesect' they speak of."

"A device? What kind of device?" asked Bianca. She still seemed tired, but not as groggy as she was a few moments ago.

Looker shrugged, sighing in defeat. "I don't know. Didn't see it, didn't hear anything about it. I chose not to approach the group and went on."

"Well, at the very least, we have some background information," Cheren offered. He turned to look at me. "What about you?"

"Well I was out last night. That shack wasn't just a lab. It was a Team Plasma lab," I explained.

All five of their heads leaned in, urging me to keep explaining.

"Inside of it there was this pokemon called 'Genesect.' Looker already told you about it," I continued, gesturing my hand to Looker. "Apparently it's a legendary pokemon," I recalled in deep thought. "Or at the very least, has legendary power. I overheard a grunt say that it was legendary."

"Is that all?" urged Cheren.

"Nuh-uh," I shook my head. "I can confirm the device Looker heard about. It and Genesect are completely different though. I haven't seen it myself, but I've heard it being talked about."

"I see..."

"But it doesn't make sense," commented Bianca.

"What doesn't?" asked Cheren.

"Why would a legendary pokemon be in a lab?" asked Professor Juniper.

"To study it," answered Cheren in a matter-of-factly voice.

"Yes, yes, but I'm going to infer that the shack was small." She looked at Looker and I for a confirmation.

"From the outside, I suppose so."

"From the inside..? I'll have to agree," I replied. "Though... These might help," I said as I dumped out the contents of my bag. "You see, I kinda freed Genesect and I was kinda in a rush because... The alarm was kinda loud," I explained sheepishly.

With a "swoosh," the large mass of paper flooded out of my satchel and scattered around the table and some even flowing off of it. I could feel a dramatic weight difference. I realized why when I saw just how much paper was in my satchel. There was a lot of paper. Tons.

"Er... Looks like you have homework..." I offered sheepishly.

The five of them looked at the large mass of paper in utter disbelief.

"...Sorry?" I apologized, somewhat confused. I tried squinting at the pile to see if I was missing anything, but I saw nothing.

"It's... It's... So much!" Bianca managed to squeak out.

"Did you carry this around all night?!" Professor Juniper asked, concern in her voice.

"Er... Yeah. It wasn't that heavy," I answered, scratching my head. "To be honest, I just grabbed whatever I could and stuffed it in there."

"I know you've always been physically strong, but this seems like a lot to lug around..." she continued. "For anybody."

"This... Will take a lot of work," Cheren finally stated. "It'll take us quite a while to analyze everything."

"Uh, yeah... Sorry," I sheepishly apologized.

Cheren shook his head. "Don't be. This is the greatest lead we have yet."

"Yeah, I mean I wouldn't even be able to bring them home," I added. "With N and Ghetsis and whatnot..."

All five heads shot back to me.

"Uh..." This was starting to get quite awkward.

"What about N and Ghetsis?" pried Looker.

"Well, I'm assuming one or the other will be quite the frequent visitor, or at least someone from Team Plasma."

"Why?" Bianca asked, distraught in her voice.

"Well, because I'm part of Team Plasma now."

Everyone went wide eyed.

Then I realized that I didn't tell them yet. "Oh... I didn't tell you, did I?" I asked scratching the back of my head. I looked away to avoid their gazes.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Bianca shake her head, surprise still written on her face.

"Eheheh..." I awkwardly laughed. "Funny stuff... Am I right?"

Everyone just continued to stare at me.

I was starting to feel a bit more uncomfortable. "Uh... Is that really such a surprise?"

"A little..." Bianca admitted.

"Why are you a part of Team Plasma?" Cheren asked anxiously. He didn't seem to have a problem with it and was just genuinely curious. And with Cheren being Cheren, he was going to pry until he learned everything.

"Well, I saved N's Vanillite, as I've told you, and N offered me the job a few days ago."

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Bianca asked.

"Because I wasn't sure I was going to take it," I explained.

"B-But then why didn't you tell us once you accepted?"

"Well, I didn't accept until after you guys were... Er..."

"Restrained," Cheren answered.

I nodded. "Right. Restrained."

"So what made you make up your mind?" asked Professor Juniper.

"Actually, I didn't," I admitted. _'Ghetsis threatened me, but I rather not let these guys know about that. After all, I'm not the one being threatened, in a sense.'_

"So it wasn't a choice?" Professor Juniper's father followed up.

"I guess you can say that..?"

Bianca's face showed pity and confusion.

"Don't worry about it," I assured her. "This can work out well for us."

"Indeed it can, and it will," Cheren agreed. "Now, we can get inside information."

"I don't know about that," I admitted. "Ghetsis isn't too fond of me."

"I'd be surprised if he was fond of anyone," Cheren sneered.

"But... I was forgetting why I was summoned here in the first place. Did you come up with a plan?" I asked. "You guys did call me back pretty quickly."

"We had something in mind, but it's risky," warned Professor Juniper's father.

"What could it possibly be?" I asked.

"For this... We'd also need Looker's help," explained Professor Juniper. She looked over at Looker for an answer.

Looker smiled and shrugged. "Well, I am indebted to Hilda, so I suppose I owe her this favor, if it isn't crass to my style."

Cheren and Professor Juniper's father both looked confused at this statement but didn't question it.

"The raid is probably happening in Accumula now, am I correct?" asked Professor Juniper.

Looker and I nodded our heads.

"Yeah," I answered. "There's a whole lot 'a grunts posted by Route 1. More than ever."

"I can't say for sure, but I'd have to infer the same thing," agreed Looker.

"That means that you will soon be able to travel to Accumula." Professor Juniper seemed to ponder something. "I'd need help getting into contact with Fennel."

"Fennel..?" asked Looker.

"She's a scientist that works with dream mist," Bianca explained.

Professor Juniper nodded. "If she could give us some, perhaps we could create a mirage."

"A mirage?" asked Looker.

"Manipulate the dream mist so that people will think it's Reshiram."

Looker and I looked at each other, unconvinced.

Professor Juniper noticed this and sighed. "I know it seems like a long shot, but it's all we have so far."

"I don't know..." I murmured. "Even if we did get you some dream mist, how would we make it look like Reshiram?"

"That's why we needed two people for the job," explained her father. "One will stand by the false Reshiram, whilst another manipulates his or her mind into creating it."

"Now... What's the risky part?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well..." Professor Juniper looked away for a second. "Firstly, if there's not enough dream mist, the illusion won't work."

"Reshiram is quite large and bulky," Cheren informed us. "Just the normal amount won't do."

"Second of all, if one of your minds changes, even abruptly, so does the illusion, possibly outing you both," continued Professor Juniper.

"Even if you think about the other person, or the plan itself, that's what the dream mist will turn into!" Bianca bellowed.

"There's also the fact that you may not be able to manipulate it at all," Professor Juniper added with worry. "Otherwise it'll just turn into a nightmare of a different person in the vicinity."

"In the process, we're wasting dream mist." Professor Juniper's father looked at me and Looker, casting a serious glare. "Munnas aren't very common, you know."

"You can shift the risks any way you want," Professor Juniper admitted. "What if Reshiram 'appears' at first, but someone walks through it? Or perhaps Team Plasma already has the light stone within their captivity?"

"The list goes on, basically," Cheren put it short.

I nodded to myself.

"And there's also the case of contacting Fennel. It's dangerous for all three of you!" Bianca added. "Or what if N wants to battle with Reshiram?"

"Don't forget to mention that Fennel lives in Striaton," Professor Juniper's father reminded his daughter. "They'd have to do some sneaking around in order to accomplish this."

I looked at Looker to ask for an answer.

He winced a little. "It's a little out there," he commented. "I'm not sure that I fancy this plan."

"Well that's alright then," Professor Juniper assured him, a smile on her face. "After all, our agreement didn't concern you having to follow our every word."

"Ah," Looker replied. "I'm sorry I could not be of assistance," he apologized with not much regret.

Bianca nodded. Cheren looked genuinely annoyed.

"That was the only plan we could think of so far," sighed Professor Juniper's father.

Cheren sighed, but looked over the large mass of paper that I had dumped on the table. "Perhaps with these... We might be able to conjure up a new one," he suggested, trying to lift up the mood. Despite that, he was clearly annoyed.

Bianca whimpered at the idea of having to read so much. Giving the pile another pitiful glance, she said, "So in a few more days we'll have another plan..."

I nodded. "Seems fair enough."

"Oh, but before you leave, even if we aren't going forth with the plan, I still need you to contact Fennel," Professor Juniper added. "I know that she's not in Accumula Town, but it's fairly close to Striaton City."

"Don't rush it though," warned Cheren. "If you need to wait until Team Plasma advances to Striaton City, do so. We can't risk you losing your pokemon."

"Hey, you make it sound like we're building a resistance or something," I joked.

Cheren gave me a hard stare.

"We are, aren't we." I was strangely okay with that.

Cheren simply looked away and continued to examine various pieces of paper.

"But hey, if I can sneak into Striaton City, I can contact the gym leaders," I happily suggested. "They're bound to be able to do something."

"Alright, so they're the priority over Fennel," claimed Cheren. "If you get there before the next raid," he added.

Professor Juniper seemed reluctant to agree, but she nodded anyway.

"Is that all?" I asked. "I mean, you don't need me to do anything else?"

"Not at the moment, no," Cheren muttered, all of his focus on reading the paper in front of him. When I looked around, Bianca, Professor Juniper, and Professor Juniper's father were doing the same. "We'll come get you when we finish decipher these," he added.

"Alright, then it's time to go," I told Looker, who nodded in agreement. Apparently, he had sensed this already because he was back in his disguise.

* * *

Looker had escorted me back outside the lab, and after, he had disappeared off to someplace else. I was stuck with nothing to do now, except to somehow come up with a plan to observe the raid.

From a distance away, I could still see that Route 1 was still barricaded. My only chance of even making it to Accumula Town was by somehow finding my way to it through the forest. After a few minutes of thinking about it, I finally decided that it was the only possible way.

I made my way to the right side of the town and into the forest; I knew that the left side already lead to the deserted part of Route 1. However, when I stepped foot into the forest, I felt a little uneasy. Well, I never had been to the right side before. The unfamiliarity was just stirring.

With every step I took, I felt a little more tense. This was when I decided not to observe the raid; something in my gut told me not to. I was already in the forest, so I decided that I might as well look for dinner and train myself to finally climb a tree.

After walking around for quite a while, I finally spotted a tree with berries. Wearing a scowl, I tried to climb the tree. However, I was unable to get a good grip and slid off after every attempt. After a few times of failing, I looked at my palms, which were a little dirty and scratched. Momentarily giving up, I tried shaking the tree to get some berries down. I scowled again after only two fell.

I went to pick them up and drop them in my satchel. Looking at the tree in disgust, I attempted to climb it again, grunting when I pulled on the bark with all of my might. I easily slid off again, pouting. Deciding to try and use a head start, I backed up a few paces and ran to the tree at a breakneck pace. As I was about to impact, I arched myself upwards so that I was running up the trunk. As I was about to lose momentum, I grabbed a branch and hung on. I sighed with relief and lifted myself up.

I sat on the branch for a few seconds and huffed out some air, relieved that it actually worked. I started to pick the oran berries that were on the tree. I didn't get many, but I picked enough to be content. I scooched over to the part of the limb that was closet to the trunk and leaned against the trunk, creating a makeshift chair. I started to relax, even letting a leg dangle off of the branch.

I started eating the oran berries, quite content at their sweetness. Perhaps I was just hungry, because I started to feel more at ease after I finished a handful of berries. With my confidence "replenished," I jumped down from the tree and continued to wander around the forest, trying to find a way to Accumula Town.

I was in a daze; it didn't feel like I was walking for long, but when I looked at my Xtransiever, I had apparently been in the forest for over an hour. I began to wonder if I was lost, but then I heard something. I jogged over to the sound, only to stop myself. There was a rather large clearing; too large to be part of the forest.

I quickly identified the sound as rhythmic footsteps. Peering through the trees, I saw that they were Team Plasma grunts, and I hurriedly hid behind a tree. I was relieved that I saw them before I walked right out into the open.

I gasped upon seeing so many, not even recalling sighting that many grunts in Nuvema. I felt a scowl overcome my face. "So they didn't start in Accumula Town yet..?"

Soon, the lengthy trail of grunts ended and I crept over to another tree, following their march. As I did, I tried to take glances at the group. I didn't see N, or anyone that resembled a sage; at least, from what I could see from the tiny openings that the forest allowed me.

_'I wonder... Is N already there?'_ I asked myself. _'But then... Why would he start without his enforcers?__'_

The grunts had stopped marching, meaning that we probably reached Accumula Town. Or, we were at least near it.

"Listen up!" bellowed someone that was out of my field of vision. "When we get there, you will bring everyone from the town and gather them to the center of the town in a swift manner! We do not have time to waste this time!"

_''This time..?' __Last time I thought it was pretty dang quick...'_ I thought, wincing.

"Then, you will waste no time surrounding the crowd! We do not want another outbreak or incident!"

_'An incident would've worked out well on our part though,'_ I thought with a sigh, but smirked.

"Plasmaa!"

"PLASMAA!" the crowd of grunts screeched as they saluted and charged forward.

_'I won't have to do that stupid salute, will I..?' _I wondered with a scowl. I decided to wait until all of the grunts were done running away to advance near Accumula Town for a better look.

Once the stomping died down, I started walking, but heard someone else's footsteps not too soon after. It was coming in my direction, albeit slowly. Confused, I hid behind a tree and peered my head around the side.

I had a better view than I did before; I could see the side of a building, confirming that I was indeed right outside of Accumula Town, and saw the person who had been barking orders not too long ago. He wore a flowing dark purple robe and a puffy hat to match, making me believe that he was one of the seven sages.

It made me wonder if I'd have to wear something. The thought of prancing around in a robe or some modernized knight's uniform was something that made me cringe, but inwardly laugh at my response.

He was walking back in the direction of Nuvema Town. Suddenly, three people appeared behind him out of thin air. I gasped, utterly shocked, and had to put my hand over my mouth to avoid making a noise. One of them reached out to tap the sage on the back, to which the sage hurriedly turned around. He was clearly startled, but was trying to maintain his serious demeanor.

"..." The three people said nothing and continued to stare. I took the time to observe them. They all looked identical. They had white hair and wore a mask that covered only their mouths and part of their noses. I couldn't see what clothing they wore, for the sage's body was blocking my view.

I couldn't see the sage's face after he turned around, but I could only assume that he was confused and somewhat irritated. "Yes, what do you need?" he finally asked.

"Lord Ghetsis would like to know why you have decided to exclude the use of the device."

"I had no need for it," the sage put it simply. "No one would dare to even try to oppose Lord N. Even if they do, they will be immediately terminated. That device took far too long to develop for only one use. I plan to use it in a larger place with a greater threat."

"I understand," replied the enigmatic person. "I will report to him your reasoning. I believe this will satisfy him enough to keep you in charge of future liberations."

"Now, why are you here?" he questioned. "Or better yet, why weren't you here earlier?"

"Lord Ghetsis spotted a person of his suspicion doing questionable activity. He ordered us to follow her."

"I see. Now, who is this person?"

"None of your concern."

I could only believe that the statement made the sage irritated, for there was a pause. "That position has been refilled so quickly?" he asked after a moment. It was apparently a rhetorical question, for he continued with, "It appears that we have a traitor on our hands."

"We do not believe so, and Lord Ghetsis believes that she is not a threat. Whether she is a traitor or not, Lord Ghetsis has multiple uses for her."

"I see. Are you here to guard Lord N? After all, the liberation is about to begin," he asked, gesturing a hand towards Accumula Town.

It was then when I finally noticed all of the loud chatter that was flowing around. _'They must have finished gathering everyone,' _I thought as I played around with my position, trying to spot the crowd. I couldn't.

The three mysterious people simultaneously shook their heads. "Lord Ghetsis has requested that once we confirm that things are going smoothly, we return to surveying our target."

"Do you even know where she is?"

"Not momentarily," answered one of the three spies. "We do know that she is beyond the town's borders."

"Do you think she's somewhere in Accumula Town?" the sage asked, somewhat intrigued.

"Not in that sense."

The sage paused before continuing. He probably assumed that he would learn no more. "And that suffices as suspicious... I wonder what Lord Ghetsis has in mind."

"If that is all, we'll be going," one said as all three of them disappeared into thin air.

I gaped at what just happened, but chose not to question it as I jogged back in the direction I came from. I had been intimidated from trying to watch the raid. The last thing I'd want is to be mistaken as running from the crowd and hiding behind trees; I remembered that I had Stoutland, Simisage, and Swanna with me and no spare pokeballs to pull the stunt that I did last time.

Deciding to do something productive, I kept navigating myself back towards Nuvema until I found myself at a familiar spot, continuing my new-found routine; run up a tree and pick some berries. I kept doing this until I was bored. By that time, my satchel was nice and heavy, bulging with every movement I made. It would last me a few days. That is, if Vanillite didn't visit.

I started to make my way back into town, but I started to feel a little uneasy. I halted and waited for something to happen, but nothing did. I continued to take cautionary steps, and finally, declaring myself paranoid and insane, I turned around and called out, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

As I expected, there was no response.

_'Those guys from earlier are definitely watching me,'_ I told myself, attempting to ignore the uneasy feeling.. I could feel anxiety pulsing through me as I cautiously turned around, trying to spot them, if that was possible. Someone had to be following me. That, or I just had to quit being a snoop.

Deciding to ignore the feeling, assuming it was most likely just paranoia, I reluctantly turned around and continued walking towards town. It didn't take that long to get back to my house. I could almost feel the relief on my shoulder, for soon I could take off my satchel. I still couldn't shake that feeling of paranoia, so I came up with a way to convince myself that those disappearing guys had no interest in me.

I reached for the doorknob and opened the door wide. Once it was, I feigned walking in by stepping forward with my right leg and then my left, but instead of entering completely, I immediately turned around and walked back out.

To my surprise, I bumped into something, which materialized before me eyes. "GAH!" I exclaimed, startled as I stepped back.

Two more people revealed themselves upon realizing that their cover was blown, and they were indeed the three guys I saw earlier.

"Who are you?" I demanded harshly, still somewhat jumpy. I certainly didn't expect to see them.

"..."

I was in too much of a shock to examine them. They simply stared at me, emotionless. I glared back, and soon we were having a staredown.

"..." I scowled at their non-compliance.

Without a word, the three of them disappeared into thin air, leaving me baffled.

"Where did you go?" I demanded in a harsh tone as I shot my head in all different directions. I gave an icy and suspicious stare at the door frame before finally closing it, waving the air around me to make sure no one was hiding there.

If they really were spying on me now, who's to say they haven't before? Or better yet... Thinking back at what they were talking to that sage about, how much did Ghetsis know..?

* * *

**Infestation : End**

* * *

And in this chapter, I learned that I can't write angst.

There's a reason why the grunts never figured out that Hilda was a human. It was so dark at night that everything was silhouetted. Think of black and white, except black and really dark purple. With a few exceptions, of course. I'm sure you could make out some details if you were close enough, but from a distance, not really. If you're also wondering why they wouldn't see her clearly in the trees, think about it. Behind Hilda were leaves, making her pretty much blend into it.

For the amount of paper, think of about ten stacks. That's a lot.

The sage was Zinzolin, if anyone was curious.

I know I've said this in some chapter of the past, but I'm really considering re-writing this (or just deleting it). While I enjoy writing it, I feel that the story-boarding is terrible, and as I've said previously, I learned that I can't write angst, which is a large part of it.

KawaiiJoltic : Psh. Just because I'm being flighty about it doesn't mean yes =P Doesn't mean no either. Trust me, I got something planned. Not too sure how you'll like it, but I'm pretty content (It won't be brought up until many chapters later though). I do plan for this fanfic to be pretty lengthy. I don't have a set amount of chapters, but I imagine that there will be a lot. Thanks for loving this story, it really re-assures me. I don't think people follow it because of the description and the first chapter. The first chapter was pretty choppy and corny, and all of them are (in my opinion). A few hundred? Haha, I'll never get there. Thanks for your continued support, it really means a lot. Sorry for the lengthy reply =P

LadyMeiLian : Thanks for your review. Yeah, I was thinking the same thing you were. Your review actually made me laugh quite a couple of times as well. Especially "gurgle" and trying to describe what a rock sounds like XD Yeah, I was pretty dead set on not using "ruff." It seemed pretty out of place to me. I hope this chapter was to your liking (but I highly doubt it, LOL).


	9. Foreshadow

**Chapter 9 : Foreshadow**

* * *

Those three enigmatic people left my home about five minutes ago, yet I couldn't bring myself to calm down.

I've been pacing around my house, nervous beyond belief. How much did Ghetsis know? At first glace, I might have thought that they were N's personal henchman, but back there with that sage guy, they only mentioned Ghetsis. _Ghetsis! _He's the one that threatened my friends, not N. What with N I would've gotten exiled or some kind of kingly-type punishment, which I would only hope wasn't beheading, but my punishment with Ghetsis had nothing to do with me.

I couldn't help but swat empty air every few seconds. It was pretty easy to get me paranoid, and quite the opposite to snap me out of it. I practically jumped when I heard the door open.

In came Ghetsis, who slammed the door behind him.

_'Always the graceful guest,' _I thought with a smirk. "So what brings you here Ghetsis?" I dared.

Ghetsis scowled. "Are you really that idiotic to forget the events of just a few days prior?" he asked with a mocking voice.

_'Oh... That's right,'_ I thought ruefully. _'With my friends as 'hostages,' he has me right where he wants me... But where does he want me?' _With that, I bowed and asked, "_Lord _Ghetsis?"

Despite that, he didn't seem pleased by the time I straightened myself up. "Your bow is pathetic."

"But you're not here just to see me bow," I accused.

A smirk grew on his face. "Whilst you may be absent-minded, you're keen, so perhaps Lord N's arrangement wasn't such a terrible one," he said as the three people from earlier appeared behind him.

The sudden appearance of the three men gave me a start, but I quickly regained my calm demeanor.

He gave a ghostly cackle at my surprise. "This is the Shadow Triad," he introduced. "I believe that you met but a few moments earlier."

I nodded.

"And to confirm your suspicions, yes, they have been following you," Ghetsis answered my unspoken question, "on more than one occasion."

While my face still remained "in tact," I could feel myself paling at Ghetsis' last words. I could only hope that they wouldn't notice my nervousness, which they didn't seem to. Even so, Ghetsis would never tell me when they were following me; he was a sadist, and telling me would ruin his amusement. All I could do is soak the information in. Apparently, I wasn't allowed to question superiors.

With a scowl on his face he claimed, "Lord N requests that you watch the liberation in Accumula Town."

"Er... Why?" I questioned, but remembered once more that I couldn't question superiors. "I-I mean, yes, Lord Ghetsis," I corrected as I bowed.

Ghetsis scoffed as he walked out of my house with the Shadow Triad and closed the door. There was a wave of relief once he left. My bag was filled to the brim with berries, but yesterday I had forgotten to take out Simisage's, Stoutland's, and Swanna's pokeballs out of it. If he had checked them, it would be the end for both me and my pokemon. Though his visit was too short for him to come himself... Why wouldn't he just send someone else?

I went over to the kitchen area to dump my berries on the counter and then jogged my way up the stairs, where I hid the three pokeballs under my bed with the other two.

I trotted back downstairs without my pokemon, assuming that I wouldn't have a use for them, and left my house without a second thought. I was sneaking around earlier just to watch the raid and was discouraged to do so after I saw those three disappearing guys and the sage. This time I was getting invited to attend, so I gladly accepted the invitation.

I paced myself over to the Route 1 barricade. All of the grunts' glares turned to me, some curious, some suspicious, and some just generally uncaring. I started to feel a little uneasy due to the excessive staring, which I usually wouldn't have taken so much care for.

"Um... N-I mean Lord N requests that I go to Nuvema Town," I informed them, an inkling of unsureness in my tone. Even though Ghetsis wasn't around, I still thought that I should address N with "Lord," just to be safe.

The head grunt stared at me with suspicious eyes. "I heard no such thing. Why would he ask _you _to go?" he dared.

_'N probably didn't tell everyone that there's a new member of Team Plasma,' _I deducted. '_These guys seem rather adamant... __I'll just have to find another way to Accumula,'_ I decided as I turned around and put up a submissive hand. "Nevermind, I'll just-"

I was cut off when three people appeared out of thin air; one in front of me and two by my side, trapping me.

"ACK..! H-How do you do that?!" I demanded as I was completely caught off guard. I involuntarily took one step back on the same exact second that they appeared before me.

The three men heeded no attention to me. Instead, they looked straight ahead to the barricade. "Let her pass." The one in front of me had a tone that commanded his orders in a cold and harsh voice.

"T-The Shadow Triad?!" the head grunt choked out.

I turned around, startled by the grunt's voice.

The grunt was visibly nervous. He shakily turned around and barked, "Let her through!"

The other grunts complied, making an opening for me pass by.

From the corners of my eyes, I saw that the two Shadow Triads next to me disappeared. Startled, I looked behind me to see that the third did the same. I still felt a little uneasy, but I continued to walk into Route 1. I felt the eyes of the head grunt watching me nervously and ruefully, while the rest of the grunts' didn't seem to carry any care.

As soon as I was through, the grunts reformed their barricade, but I still didn't feel at rest. I continued walking to Accumula Town, which only took about twenty minutes. If I was in the forest, it probably would've taken an hour or longer; the forest was a labyrinth and it was impossible to just go straight. Not to mention that it was hard to walk through, due to excessive tree roots sticking out and myriads of bushes.

I wasn't surprised to see another barricade blocking Route 1 from Accumula Town. They were facing the other way, intent on preventing anyone from inside the town to come to Route 1.

I thought of messing around with them for a split second, a smug smirk growing on my face, but then I remembered why I was here in the first place. I cleared my throat to disperse the idea from my head.

Two of grunts, hearing my noise, turned around and eyed me curiously.

"Oh... Mind if I go in?" I asked nonchalantly.

The two grunts looked at each other in disbelief before reaching for their pokeballs.

_'Now, if I'm right on this...' _On cue, I saw two of the Shadow Triad appear on both of my sides, leading me to believe one was behind me. _'Just as I suspected,'_ I thought, suppressing a sadistic chuckle at the two grunts' baffled reactions.

"Let her pass." The voice from behind me was just as cold, harsh, and commanding as earlier.

Without turning back, I coolly brought up my fist and pointed my thumb at the source of the voice behind me.

The two grunts hastily tapped the others on their shoulders, pointing at me. They weren't speaking that loud so I couldn't hear what exactly they were saying, but it was an easy guess once the grunts making up the barricade created an opening for me to pass by.

I headed into Accumula Town, seeing two of the Shadow Triad disperse from the corners of my eyes. I still felt a little uneasy once I was through. By now, I knew that this meant I was being followed. When I knew that I had walked far enough from the barricade to know that they couldn't hear me, I hoarsely whispered, "Seriously. How do you guys do that..?"

I heard no reply.

I sighed. "Thought so..." I walked a little more until I saw stairs, leading to a pit that held an apartment complex. I descended them and kept my head leveled with the floor, peeking at the crowd through the railings. While I was invited, I didn't know the extent of my invitation, so I didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble. I felt somewhat relieved after "settling" in my little hiding spot. _'Did the Shadow Triad leave me..?'_ I wondered. _'They probably just needed to confirm that I came.'_

Currently, the crowd of all of the Accumula Town civilians were being surrounded by a myriad of grunts. There was a grunt at a pedestal with flags at both of his sides, creating yet another makeshift stage. He was barking out a speech in a harsh fashion.

"YOU are making pokemon suffer by trapping them in pokeballs! YOU are making pokemon slaves! YOU are ABUSING your pokemon by making them BATTLE until they've FAINTED!" he preached.

I could almost feel a pathetic bead of sweat on the back of my head. _'Gee, how innovative,' _I thought with an amused cringe, if that was possible. _'Makes me want to release my pokemon,' _I jested.

"And worst of all... YOU have taken them away from their HOMES!" he accused, angrily pointing a finger at the crowd.

The people in the crowd looked at each other, crestfallen. I heard snippets of conversations asking, "Is it true?" or, "Have we really been making them suffer?" followed by, "Maybe I should release it..."

I could almost feel the defeated look creeping on my face. _'They're buying it... Just like the last town over.' _I knew by now that the crowd would really need no coaxing from N. I wondered if he would appear anyway, because I couldn't spot him anywhere. That was when I noticed that Ghetsis or the purple-robed sage wasn't there either... Or any other sage for that matter.

"Now... If you all understand, give us your pokemon!" the grunt barked, gesturing his hands to all of the grunts surrounding them. "WE will LIBERATE them!"

_'I wonder... Is this how it went down in Nuvema?' _I tried to imagine the demure people of Nuvema Town responding to this kind of harsh behavior, but I just didn't see it happening. _'Perhaps they're playing it by town... No specific game plan. That's pretty well thought out,'_ I admitted.

People looked at each other, confident and nodding. As if a switch was hit, everyone reached into their pockets, bags, and clips, taking out their pokeballs and muttering a happy "goodbye."

_'Well... Accumula Town isn't a 'trainers' town. Just like Nuvema,' _I observed. Not many trainers came from here either; similar to Nuvema Town, pokemon were really just companions, friends, and workers. Not too many trainers begun their journey from here, or at least, to my knowledge.

I was surprised when I heard a gruff and enraged "no!"

Curious, I started searching for the source of the voice in the crowd.

"What?! Who said that!" demanded the grunt.

"I did!" challenged the deep voice. I finally found him. Some of the people backed away from him and his companions, revealing one robust construction worker and two of whom I would assume were his employees. While the man who spoke out seemed adamant and proud, they seemed feeble and nervous. "You'll never take them!" he screeched, waving a fist in the air. "I'll never give it to you scums! You just walked into our town and ordered it like it was the law, but no! We won't have it! Make your dang speeches all you want, but you can't force us!"

I could feel a smile creeping onto my face. _'Finally! Someone who gets it!' _I waited in anticipation to see what he'd do next.

"Uh... Boss, I think we should..." one of his workers suggested shyly, tipping his hard-hat to masquerade his face in embarrassment.

The other construction worker next to him nodded weakly in agreement.

_'Peer pressure,' _I scoffed, unimpressed. _'Come on, boss man, set 'em straight!'_

"What?!" The apparent "boss" snapped his head back towards the worker who spoke. "Whadduya' mean?!" he barked. "We make good money of off these pokemon's labor! Are you up for the money loss?!" he dared. "Our work will be a lot slower without them!"

The two workers fidgeted, unsure of how to respond.

Their response only irritated their boss, who saw a need to persuade them. "Pokemon have this power that was made for us to tame! Why do you think we invented pokeballs?! To own them!" he barked to the head grunt as he ravenously reached into his deep pockets and started flaunting around his pokeballs, three in each hand.

My smile turned into an ungrateful smut. Suddenly, I was on Team Plasma's side... Something which I didn't feel too good about. "Man... If I had the power to I'd take his pokemon from him myself..." I muttered to myself.

"Do you hear this?! DO YOU HEAR THIS?!" the head grunt at the podium asked the crowd. "He's using his pokemon as TOOLS! Do you agree with this?!"

"NO!" the crowd cried back, looking at the construction man with disapproving eyes.

I grimaced. '_This guy is just making it too easy for them...'_

The grunt smirked and eyed some grunts behind him. "You! Take that man's pokeballs!"

The three grunts behind him saluted and marched off of the stage.

"Oh yeah?! Fine! Let's battle!" the head construction worker challenged, holding up both of his palms that were daring to summon out all six of his pokemon at the same time.

By now, his two other companions started inching away from him and dissolving into the crowd, leaving him to stand alone in a small clearing, surrounded by everyone else who believed in Team Plasma. That man was truly alone from here.

"There will be no need for that..." a voice called from behind me.

"Gah..!" I flinched, barely suppressing my outburst. Behind me, N was walking in from Route 1 and into Accumula Town. I followed him with curious eyes. He shot me a glance, but quickly diverted his attention away and continued walking.

"Who are you?!" the head construction challenged.

"Me? I am the King of Team Plasma," informed N, "and I don't approve of you classifying pokemon as tools." He continued to step forward.

"What are you going to do about it, pretty boy?!"

The insult didn't appear to impact N. He just continued walking. "I'm going to liberate them," he simply put it as he reached for his pocket and mindlessly pulled out a pokeball. He stopped walking when he was around next to me. We were a few feet away and the crowd couldn't see me, but I was rather curious why he stopped here. "Carracosta!" he commanded as he threw a pokeball in the air.

The red light flashed and Carracosta materialized, though I couldn't help but wonder if it was really a Carracosta. Last time, his Klank was a Zoroark.

N drifted his eyes to me, glaring. "Get them."

"Huh..?" It took me a second to decipher what he mean. "Oh..!" I nodded and was about to run up the stairs, but sheepishly remembered that I would be putting myself out in the clear.

Carracosta seemed to understand, as he side-walked next to the railings. I put my head down and walked up the stairs. Carracosta continued to side-walk to the other side, staring down its soon-to-be opponent. N also stared down the construction worker, as to not arouse suspicion of Carracosta's movements. He stopped when we were next to a sign, which I dutifully ducked behind. Once Carracosta saw that I was shielded again, it centered itself back into the middle of the walkway.

I scurried to the trees that were within my sight and crept around until I saw red through the small openings that the tree trunks made.

I was too immersed in my "mission" to even listen in on the battle. From the small snippets I could hear, I could tell that N was only stalling; all he ordered was for Carracosta to dodge or to disperse the attack with some other move. I couldn't hear anything that the construction worker was saying; he was drowned out by the excited crowd.

I walked towards the red building, and true to my deduction, it was the Pokemon Center. _'I wonder what'll happen to it once Team Plasma takes over...'_

"Timburr, low kick!" I heard a proud voice call out, followed by escalating crowd gasps.

I almost cringed. _'He really thinks that he'll beat a whole organization with those low leveled things..?' _Shaking the thought off, I crept behind the Pokemon Center and peered through the alleyway.

I was relieved to see that the construction worker was not too far from my position, ordering his Timburr around as if he knew he was going to win. His other five pokeballs were on the ground.

_'There's a limit to how confident you should be,' _I warned without actually speaking. _'Don't be so sure of yourself, and don't get too comfortable around people who are threatening to take your pokemon,' _I thought with a teasing smirk as I weaved through the crowd until I was at the edge of the small clearing. I looked around me and was content to see that everyone else was too immersed in the fight to even notice my presence. I crouched to the ground and waddled my way to the littered pokeballs and picked them up.

The construction worker didn't seem to notice, as he was too busy screaming out orders to his Timburr.

I shot N a glance, hoping that he'd see me behind the crowd; I didn't want to attract too much attention.

N's eyes drifted to me for a split second and he nodded, diverting his attention back to the match.

After I was sure that he saw me, I snaked my way through and out of the crowd again. I walked over to the pokemon center and hid behind the side that was facing away from the crowd. I made sure that I had all five before giving my full attention on the match that was happening. I looked through the translucent windows of the pokemon center, anxiously waiting for the moment when he'd realize that his pokeballs weren't there.

"We've got this in the bag, Timburr!" the construction worker bragged. I couldn't see his face clearly, but I could only assume that he was victoriously smirking to himself. "Use low kick!"

"Carracosta, dodge it," N ordered coolly. His face was completely indifferent.

Although I couldn't see Carracosta, I assumed that his dodge was successful when I saw Timburr land a few feet before N. Timburr jumped backwards and out of my field of vision.

"No more mercy now, Carracosta. Use night slash," he ordered, a glint of rage in his eyes.

I heard the crowd exclaim all at once. They all cheered one second later, making me believe that the Timburr fainted in one hit.

"Wh-What?! In one hit?!" exclaimed the construction worker. "No matter! I've got many more ri-WHAT?!"

"Fool," N spat. "You didn't notice your pokemon being taken away?"

"B-But-"

I rolled my eyes. _'He speaks proud for one who isn't all that alert.'_

"In your sureness, you didn't see my fellow Team Plasma member take away your pokemon... Good for them, they will soon be free from your unworthy grasp," N remarked. "And didn't you strike it as rather odd that my Carracosta used _flamethrower?_"

I grinned, amused. _'Oh, real sharp,' _I retorted in my head. I could only imagine the guy's face now.

I saw white blurs through the translucent pokemon center windows heading towards the position of the constructino worker. I could faintly make out him being surrounded. I saw one reach a hand to him, and then the group ran away. They probably just took his pokeball.

"Y-You can't do this!"

_'And I would've been on your side if your reasoning wasn't so crass,'_ I mentally added, looking back down at the pokeballs in my palm. '_I wonder... Has he been overworking you? And have I been overworking mine..?'_ I quickly shook these thoughts from my head and looked over at N, who was still staring at the man.

"It must pain you to say that I'm liberating them," N assumed, "but I'm sure that the rest of these people will be happy for them. After all, in the ruckus you caused, they all gave away their pokemon to freedom." N's eyes gleamed with rage again.

_'They did..?'_ I wondered. _'Everyone seemed so immersed in the match... I didn't even notice.'_

"And I would've been more than happy to show you your place! However... Hurting one pokemon is sinful enough for me. I will not have it again!" he claimed. And with that, he walked away back towards Route 1, but not before sending me another glance that urged me to follow him.

* * *

After I finally caught up to him, I gave N the man's pokeballs.

We were standing outside of Accumula Town, our presence shielded by the grunts forming the barricade. I could still hear the earlier grunt barking out the newly appointed rules. The crowd, on the other hand, was dead silent.

"I just can't believe that someone like that was abusing his pokemon," N sneered under his breath as he pocketed the five balls.

"I could hardly believe it myself," I admitted. "In a way... I'm kinda glad that they ended up in your hands."

N nodded. "I'm going to liberate them."

"Here..?" I questioned. I looked around. "I mean, that's not a problem, but this place is full of Lillipups and Patrats."

"You're right," N claimed. "I was actually planning to liberate them in Pinwheel Forest, assuming that they're all Timburrs. That's probably where they were taken from."

_'Is he actually planning to liberate them..?' _I wondered. _'I thought Team Plasma pocketed all of the stolen pokemon. Perhaps I was wrong this whole time? If that's the case, then maybe-'_

"Though I'm quite content with this liberation," N digressed. "There was still one person who was against it, but it seems that people are starting to understand now... Pokemon and humans should be separate." He had this kind of distant look in his eyes.

_'Now that, I'm not too sure about...'_ I countered, thinking about the fun times I had with all of my pokemon. We were finally going to make our sixth friend in Victory Road, but I didn't get there in time. Though after seeing that construction worker guy talk about his pokemon the way he did, I was starting to have second thoughts. I knew I'd never cave in though; I've met others that had strong bonds with their pokemon.

"So I've decided!" N claimed, raising his voice a bit in confidence. "I'll make it happen!" His voice had such a passion that I couldn't help but feel convinced.

Despite this, I still remembered my own goals; challenge the Pokemon League and become the strongest trainer in Unova. That was a dream I wouldn't give up, and I wouldn't give up my own pokemon as well. I had already offered to set them free, and they denied it, meaning that they too were on my side.

"Today, you've proven to be trustworthy of your rank," N decided. "I'd like to help you get suited into Team Plasma, but unfortunately, I must go. The Striaton City liberation will happen in two days, and I must start preparing. Haste makes waste."

_'That soon?!' _I wondered, baffled. But then I remembered that the Accumula Town raid was postponed because of us renegades.

"I'll tell someone to your house to appoint you of your responsibilities for tomorrow," he informed me.

I nodded. _'Hopefully, I can cough something up from this guy... If it isn't Ghetsis. He's tightly shut. Either way, I'm getting stuff done, so-'_

"Did you get that..?" N asked, raising an eyebrow.

_'I spaced out!' _I realized in horror. "N-No, I'm sorry, can you repeat that my King?"

N seemed confused at the way I addressed him, but chose not to question it. "There's no need to," he said, waving a submissive hand.

I mentally grimaced. _'Great... My idiotic mind ruins things for me again.'_

"I'll be on my way," he said as he started to walk for Accumula Town. The grunts abruptly moved aside, making a path for him to walk by. N stopped when he was through and turned back to address the grunt closest to him. "Since the liberation is finished, there's no need to stand patrol here anymore."

"Yes sir!" the grunt replied as large mass of grunts started dispersing and headed for the heart of town, with the exception of one. N followed them to who knows where.

When they were gone, the one that stayed behind spoke to me. "N said that he probably won't be able to see you again until the Striaton City 'liberation.'" I was able to identify his voice as Looker's.

"Thanks," I said gratefully. "Man, I hope I don't have to wear one of these," I joked as I grabbed some loose cloth from his shoulder.

"I don't know... It's pretty comfy," he urged.

I chuckled. "So what puts you on guard duty?"

Looker shrugged. "I was walking around and a grunt came up to me, demanding that I help guard."

"When did you sneak in?"

"Ha! Didn't have to," he bragged. "I just joined a long line and followed it!"

"Ha! You would!" I joked. Looker and I were getting strangely chummy, but I had no complaints. It felt good to have a friend that wasn't being held hostage. Though it was a bit odd to see him with a different face every time. "As much as I'd like to indulge myself in afternoon gossip, I don't think that I should be holding up a sage," I informed Looker.

"I have no problems, so long as you tell me what he tells you."

"Same here. If you follow any more long lines, I expect you to eavesdrop."

* * *

I had no trouble getting back into Nuvema Town this time; the grunts that created the barricade were no longer there, but I couldn't help but feel they'd let me in without a word, considering earlier events.

I walked back to my home and crashed out on the couch, savoring my few moments of relaxation. Not too long later, a sage wearing brown robes with a brown puffy hat to match came in.

_'Three sages in one day,' _I counted. _'I must be really lucky or something.'_

I noticed that he had a smut of his face, with his mouth hidden by a rather large mustache. He also looked pretty old.

_'Are all of the sages old..?'_ I wondered. '_Pretty ironic that oldies make up the court and the king himself is the young one. Wait... Yeah, no.'_

"You must be Hilda, the new public admin," the sage addressed. "It feels quite satisfying to see that another is willing to commit herself to the greatness of pokemon liberation."

_'Huh... Not as intimidating as I thought he'd try to be.'_

"Lord Ghetsis has requested that I teach you of your responsibilities," informed the sage.

"Oh... Alright," I responded, somewhat curious of how he addressed Ghetsis. _'Do all of the sages call each other 'Lord..?''_

It was as if he could read my mind. "Lord Ghetsis happens to be the head sage," he informed me.

_'Yeah... No surprise there.'_

"First of all, your uniform will arrive tomorrow," the sage started. "You will be expected to wear it when you are on duty."

_'Great...'_ I thought, piqued. _'Oh well... A puffy knight's outfit is nothing too out of the ordinary now-a-days. Plus, it'll be a little easier getting around with one on,'_ I thought, recalling earlier when I couldn't even get past a barricade of underlings.

"Secondly, you are to report to Route 1 every day to learn your task, if you shall have any," he continued.

_'Route 1... Is that where they set up a base or something? Because I haven't seen one around,' _I thought. _'Well, both raids did come in through Route 1...'_

"You shall address anyone above you as 'Lord' or 'Lady' and bow when they are about to exit your presence."

_''Lady,' hm..?' _I thought. _'So there are female sages...'_

"You are to report any suspicious behavior to me or any of the other sages."

_'Too bad I don't know any,' _I thought, mentally rolling my eyes.

"You will meet them in due time."

_'Ah. Okay then.'_

"Tomorrow, you will also receive your pokemon alongside your uniform."

That sorta surprised me. "Pokemon..?" I asked reluctantly, fearing that I've heard it wrong.

"Yes. You see, to liberate pokemon, we must first require their help," the sage explained, not at all annoyed at the need to. "We will liberate them in due time, but until our goal is achieved, we cannot achieve it without their assistance."

_'Well... It does make sense.'_

"Tomorrow, you will take the time to get familiar with your pokemon in Route 1. Do not waste any time doing anything else," he warned.

I nodded, soaking in all of the information. _'This seems more like a list as opposed to a 'lesson...'' _I inwardly laughed at the "irony."

The sage furrowed his eyebrows. "You do understand everything I'm saying, right?"

"Of course, Lord... Lord..." I froze. I didn't know his name. "Lord, ah... My Lord," I corrected, feeling abashed at not knowing his name.

I couldn't tell whether he was amused or bothered. "Rood."

"I'm sorry my Lord," I apologized. "It'll never happen again. Next time, I'll learn all of your names before hand." The last thing I needed was for the other sages to think I was rude. After all, I need to get on their good side to learn anything worth while.

"My _name_ is Rood," he informed me.

My eyes widened slightly in amusement as I had to stop myself from laughing at my folly. "O-Oh, my sincerest apologies, Lord Rood," I corrected. _'Phew... Ghetsis would have never let me get away with that.'_

Rood must have taken my amusement as nervousness, for he sighed. "I don't know what our King has in mind... Someone who doesn't even bother to learn the names of her superiors?" Rood was speaking to himself, but made sure that I heard it. "No matter... You'll learn eventually if our King was right about you and your passion."

I raised an eyebrow. _'My... Passion?"_ I wondered, but didn't voice my confusion.

"Unfortunately, that's all I've been given to tell you," Rood sighed, finishing my lengthy to-do list for tomorrow. "You don't want to be late," he warned as he walked out of my house.

_'Well... That was a shorter visit than I thought it would be,' _I thought. _'But at the same time, I did get some important info.' _Besides, now I had a day to myself, and hopefully, my pokemon. I haven't forgotten that Boldore and Emboar haven't been out of their pokeballs yet. The idea of just letting my pokemon roam around for a little while made me a little excited.

I quickly jogged up the flight of stairs and practically took a nose dive to my bed. I eagerly reached my hand under the bad and took out my pokeballs as if they were presents under a Christmas tree. Beaming, I put them in my satchel and paced myself back down the stairs and out of my house.

_'Finally!' _I thought as I ran about the sidewalk, looking for just the right place to enter the forest. _'A day where we're not playing 'resistance' or pointlessly being incognito!' _

Finally, I found an opening that wasn't as "in the clear" and I scurried my way into the forest. I jogged out a little more before I was finally content with the distance between me and town.

_'This should be far enough so that if we make noise, it shouldn't be heard...'_ I looked around to make sure that we were completely isolated before taking out my pokeballs.

I wasted no time freeing my pokemon from their pokeballs. The red light of all five being released at once was so intense that I could feel a slight wave of heat flash my face. Upon seeing them, I grinned widely.

I crouched down by Boldore and Emboar and addressed them by saying, "It's only been six days but it feels like a while since I've seen the two of you." By now, I was smiling from ear to ear and probably looked ridiculously stupid.

Emboar agreed by grunting and nodding. He practically mirrored my ecstatic facial expression, but I couldn't really tell what Boldore felt. In fact... He wasn't even moving.

"You aren't mad, are you..?" I asked him, somewhat fearful that he didn't like being caged up for nearly a week. _'I mean... Who wouldn't?' _Perhaps I was just scared that he wanted to leave; I knew that if he wanted to, I couldn't deny him. Especially in this condition.

Boldore didn't do anything and just continued to stare out.

By now, Emboar marched over to my other three pokemon and they started catching up.

I took another quick glance at Emboar, whose back was to me, before turning back to Boldore. I could overhear the four of them chatting, but since I couldn't understand them, I took no heed to it.

Boldore still continued to stare out.

I experimentally waved my hand in his face, but he was still unmoving. "Boldore..." I was starting to get a little more worried. "Do you want to leave..?"

I still got no response.

"If that's it, you don't have to worry about it," I assured him with a melancholic smile. I grimaced when he still didn't respond. "Hey..." I tried petting his head, but again, he was unresponsive. "Are you okay..?" After a few seconds, I turned back to the other four pokemon. "I don't suppose any of you four know what's wrong with him, do you?"

The four of them stopped talking and turned their heads to face me, or in Swanna's case, extended her neck to see me. They simultaneously shook their heads, murmuring what seemed like a "no." Swanna lowered her neck and waddled her way next to me, eyeing Boldore with a deep interest. I could feel Emboar and Stoutland crowd up behind me while Simisage climbed up my back and sat on my head.

"Boldore, what's wrong buddy?" I asked curiously.

"Swaa..?"

Boldore's legs suddenly collapsed to the ground, but aside from that, he didn't seem to be hurt. Just... Dazed?

"H-Hey! What's wrong?!" I asked harshly, a look of surprise coming upon my face. I could also hear my other four pokemon gasp out in surprise, but I paid no attention to them. "Boldore! Boldore!" I called out, trying to shake his rocky form. "What to do..?" I muttered to myself, slightly frustrated. I shifted my glance to Simisage, who was contently lounging on my head. "Maybe we just need to shock him... Simisage, use cut."

Simisage hollered as he extended his arm from atop of my head and swiped Boldore with not much effort.

"Nothing happened..." I observed, a little agitated. Somewhat cringing, I ordered Stoutland to use aerial ace, but there was still no response. Deciding that he needed just a little more force, I commanded Swanna to use air slash, but there was still no change in Boldore.

Boldore continued to just lay there, staring out. He didn't even blink, if he blinked anyway.

"Boldore, please do something," I practically begged, shaking him. "If you want to be set free, I'll do it!"

Simisage slapped the top of my head.

I shot him a fiery glare, not that he could see it, but I understood what he meant. It wasn't that Boldore wanted to be set free. There was something else. Deciding to take a shot in the blue, I sheepishly asked, "Is he just sleeping, possibly..?"

"Swaa?" Swanna asked, just as curious.

Stoutland took the time to bark, rather loudly, making the rest of us jump.

I could still hear it ringing in my ears and echoing in the forest as Boldore slowly stood up on shaky legs. Once it saw the five of us crowded around him, he tilted his head and grumbled in confusion.

The five of us deadpanned and moaned at the foolishness of the situation.

"H-He's alright..." I declared, muttering to myself.

Swanna, Simisage, Stoultand, and Emboar sounded in agreement.

Boldore cocked his head to the other side, still befuddled. He extended a leg and worriedly tapped me on the shoulder, grousing about his confusion.

"You were asleep..."

Boldore retracted his leg and sheepishly looked away. The five of us laughed in response.

"Well, it's fine," I assured him. "I'm sorry for waking you up from your nap... Actually, that was Stoutland," I accused.

Stoutland gruffed in response.

"But... We did attack you a couple of times," I admitted awkwardly.

Boldore didn't seem to care; after all, we only attacked him with low-leveled and ineffective attacks.

"So anyway... You have all the free time you want now!" I informed him excitedly. "A week in your pokeball has to have put you on some sort of toll."

Simisage jumped from my head and onto Boldore's, intent on riding him. Boldore sighed, but walked away. I could feel Emboar and Stoutland dispersing too, but Swanna stayed by my side, so I started petting her.

"Not up to talking at the moment?" I asked her.

Swanna shook her head no and cuddled me with her head.

"Just wanna relax?" I asked.

Swanna cawed, denying the notion.

"Wanna do some special training?" I suggested.

Swanna perked up at the idea.

"Maybe we can actually teach you fly this time!" I thought excitedly. _'And maybe I can get out of this place without anyone noticing...'_

"Swaa..." Swanna sighed worriedly. She looked around the forest, examining her surroundings. Perhaps she was concerned with how this would actually work.

"Don't worry, obviously we won't get it today," I assured her. "It'll take some time. Plus, I don't even have the HM with me." I made a mental note to ask Cheren if he had it with him the next time they called me over. "But first thing's first. You have to learn how to handle human weight."

Swanna nodded shyly before taking more glances around her.

I turned around to the four pokemon talking behind us. "Simisage, you're the lightest. Come over here, will ya'?"

Simisage peered his head over Stoutland after hearing its name, but nodded, happy that I requested him to do something. He dutifully stood in front of me, waiting for orders. I could feel Stoutland, Emboar, and Boldore looking at us with greatly curious glares.

"Alright. Hop on Swanna, will you?" I asked, pointing a finger at the demure Swanna. "We're doing some weight training."

Simisage hollered in understanding as he jumped onto Swanna's back.

"Swaa..!" she choked out as she collapsed under the light-weight Simisage. "S-Swanna..." she sighed, in a daze.

"Hehe..." I laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of my head. "Y-You'll get it," I urged. "You will!"

Swanna cawed in disagreement as she feebly stood up on shaky legs.

Simisage started screeching at her, barking orders that I couldn't understand. Swanna looked up at him fearfully, her neck inching away with every "word" Simisage hollered. Swanna was about to shyly object whatever Simisage was saying, but that only resulted in Simisage screeching louder, shocking all five of us.

"A-Alright, Drill Sargent Simisage... Th-That's enough training for today," I offered, somewhat cautious that he'd snap at me too.

Simisage stopped his hollering and looked at me curiously before shrugging and jumping off of Swanna's back and onto my right shoulder.

Swanna was too busy cowering to herself to even notice that Simisage already jumped off.

"Hm... So gradually increasing the weight won't work," I observed, muttering, "or at least when it's Simisage," which resulted in me getting a cut attack to my face. I pretended to ignore it though. "Now... What to do?" I thought about it for a few seconds, but I wasn't able to come up with anything. I sighed. "Swanna, if you're never going to learn to use fly, that's cool and all, but at the very least, you'll have to be able to handle a little weight."

Swanna pulled her head closer to her body, embarrassed.

"No, not like that," I assured her. "I just mean that in battles an opponent might jump on you or something."

She seemed a little less embarrassed, but not by much. "Swaa..."

"Oh... Hold on, I have an idea!" I claimed proudly. "But with the noise... It's pretty risky..."

"Swanna?" Swanna seemed very interested in what I had to say.

I glanced at my sides and warned, "You might all wanna move back."

The four of them complied, somewhat confused, yet intrigued at the same time.

"Actually..." I reconsidered. _'The forest is too crowded for this, so I have to make a clearing...'_ I turned to my other foour pokemon. "Simisage, cut down some trees. Boldore and Stoutland, catch the trees with your bodies to make sure that they don't crash to the ground and make a loud noise. Emboar, carry the trees away to make a clearing."

They all chattered in response and went to work. Simisage, being agile and fast, was able to cut down trees at a breakneck pace. That irritated Boldore, who had to catch them on his head and let them down, because he was rather slow and couldn't get to the trees that fast. Without Stoutland to catch the ones that Boldore couldn't, there would definitely be a loud booming coming from the forest that would most certainly catch some attention, regardless of how far away from town we were. Emboar hurriedly grabbed the fallen trees that Stoutland and Boldore set down and set them aside, making a border of some sort.

"Doing good, guys," I assured them as they continued to go about doing this.

Swanna watched, captivated by the scene in front of her. She looked like she wanted to help, but was too shy and fragile at the same time.

By the time they were done, they had cleared out a large clearing, the size of a pokemon battlefield. Emboar had intelligently used the cut down trees to make a border of some sort, boxing us in. The ground was still bumpy due to tree stumps, tree roots, and the occasional boulders embedded in the ground, but it was more or less a clearing.

"As of now, this is our official training spot," I declared. "Good job guys!" I complimented.

They all cheered in response, quite proud of their accomplishment.

"In record time, too," I remarked. "Now, let's all go over here," I suggested, waving a hand in the direction I was walking. We paced over to one of the ends of the battlefield and sat down on somelogs. Once everyone was settled, I decided that now would be the time to start putting my training plan into action. "Alright Swanna, use brave bird up until that far end over there, but remember to stop in advance," I warned her. "We don't want you crashing into a tree and hurting yourself."

"Swaa!" Swanna squawked in confidence as she stepped forward and out of the shade from the trees shadowing the makeshift border.

"Also!" I hurriedly warned. "Try not to go above the trees if you don't need to. It may not be all that dark yet, but I think it would be pretty obvious to spot a glowing blue bird."

Swanna nodded as she flew up a few feet. She spun, resulting into her glowing an electrifying blue, and took a nose dive back to the ground. About a foot before she was going to impact the ground, she shot out straight, gliding over the ground. She kept speeding through the clearing until she was on the far side of the battlefield and slowly decelerated as the blue aura around her gradually faded. She cawed from the far side of the field and looked over to us, looking for my approval.

My other four pokemon chanted back to her, impressed with her performance.

I nodded and gave a thumbs up. "Great job! That was really good!" I called out, cupping my hands so that she could hear it. "Now! I need you to stand on top of that fallen tree trunk behind you!"

From what I could see, Swanna cocked her head in confusion, but did so.

"Now, grip the log in your talons!" I continued. "Firmly grasp it with your claws!"

It was hard to make out what exactly Swanna was doing due to the distance, but she fidgeted for a few seconds before remaining still, leading me to believe that she did as I said.

"Alright! Now this next part is going to be hard, but I need you to try!" I yelled back. "Try to do brave bird again, but this time, do not let go of the log, no matter what you do!"

The four pokemon sitting by looked at me with confusion, but I didn't bother to give them an explanation. From what I could tell, Swanna was confused too, because she remained idle and didn't do anything.

"Please! Just trust me!" I called back. "Try it!"

I thought I saw Swanna nod. She flapped her wings a few times to get them ready and then arched herself backwards, preparing to initiate the attack. She then jolted forward, but face-planted to the floor, her claws still attached to the log.

"Ooh..." I hissed, wincing. "That looks like it hurt..." I remarked to my other pokemon, who I could see nodding from the corner of my eyes. "Swanna! Are you okay?!" I called out worriedly.

I saw Swanna release her grip from the log and slump to the ground. She weakly stood up and shook her body, scattering a few stray feathers on the ground. She squawked back to assure me that she was alright.

I sighed with relief. "Alright! Good! Now take a short breather!"

Swanna nodded and trotted back to the log she gripped and sat down.

I turned to Emboar. "You think you can carry out a tree to the middle of the clearing?"

Emboar looked confused, but grunted what seemed like a "yes."

I smiled. "Good. Take the lightest one around us and bring it out to the middle."

Emboar grunted and nodded, standing up from his seat, which was a now scorched tree trunk. He took the burnt piece of wood in his hands with ease and marched over to the middle of the battlefield. He set it down and then looked at me for further instructions.

"Um..." I murmured to myself, examining the position of the trunk. "Make it parallel to the ones that we're sitting on!" I ordered.

Emboar nodded and adjusted the tree trunk as I commanded. After he was done, he looked at me for approval.

"Good job," I complimented him. I then turned to Simisage. "Cut off all of the branches. We have no need for the leaves. Pile them somewhere off of the field."

Simisage nodded and pranced off to where Emboar was.

Turning back to Swanna, I questioned, "Are you ready?!"

"Swaa!" she cawed, holding up a wing in response.

Emboar and Simisage came back to the sidelines, carrying the branches with leaves. I inspected the tree trunk, content when I didn't see a leaf on it.

"Alright! This time, you're going to use brave bird first!" I explained. "But as you speed over here, you're going to try to pick up the log in the middle while you're attacking!"

I heard my other four pokemon next to me croak in surprise, unsure of what my intentions were. I could only guess that Swanna did the same and assumed that I was insane, not that I already wasn't.

Emboar huffed at me, asking what I meant to do.

"Just a little experiment," I answered. I turned back to Swanna. "Please! If this doesn't work, we'll stop!"

That seemed to convince Swanna, for after a few seconds, she stood up from her sitting position and stepped out of the shade again. She repeated the same routine from earlier. This time, when she approached the middle of the battlefield, she extended her claws so that they were almost touching the ground. She bolted by the log sitting in the middle of the clearing, picking it up on the way. As soon as the log was in Swanna's grasp, it started to illuminate the same blue aura that Swanna did.

Swanna kept a poker face, as if not even realizing what she accomplished. My other four pokemon, however, stood up and started cheering in fascination.

I could feel a smile creeping onto my face. _'Just as I suspected... When she uses a powerful move, she gains this incredible strength. If she can learn fly but can't hoist me onto her back, this is the alternate solution.'_ I stood up and cupped my hands around my mouth. "Great job, Swanna! You're doing great! Just remember to slow down when you're almost here!"

"Swaa!" she cawed proudly as she started to decelerate. As the blue aura around her started to fade, so the did the one around the log.

My eyes widened. _'W-Wait... Don't tell me..!'_

It was too late to voice my fears. With the attack no longer at its fullest, the weight of the log was too much for Swanna to bear. She sunk to the ground in a millisecond and started tumbling forward, occasionally trampled by the log she has yet to let go of. After about five seconds, she stopped tumbling forward and a log was now crushing her.

"S-Swanna!" I called out in concern as I bolted to her side. I could hear my other pokemon following behind me. "Swanna! Are you okay?!" I demanded as I crouched down by her and let Emboar throw the log off of her.

Swanna shakily extended her neck up and looked at me. She nodded and then started making some weird noises. After a few seconds, I was able to decipher it as laughter.

Relieved, I felt a stupid grin starting to overcome my face. I started to laugh too. "Haha, Swanna! That thing almost killed you!" I joked.

The two of us started to laugh even louder, immensely confusing my other four pokemon before they finally caught on that Swanna was okay and joined in the laughter.

"N-Next time you have to let go of the log before you finish your attack," I input, still chuckling. Because I knew that Swanna was okay, I found it pretty funny how that tree trunk toppled her over when she had such a confident outlook.

Swanna finished her laughter and nodded, finally standing up.

"Alright, I think that's enough for you today," I told Swanna, petting her. "I forgot to bring stuff for healing," I sheepishly admitted, "so you can either rest in your pokeball, which I doubt you want to do, or just sit on the side while everyone else trains."

Swanna nodded and trotted over to the edge of the battleground, sitting on a tree trunk.

I turned to the rest of my pokemon. "I promise, you'll have a break after this, but first, we need to train if we're going to take down Team Plasma and make sure trainers aren't separated form their pokemon."

The four of then nodded in response and waited for my orders.

* * *

I entered my house and collapsed onto my couch, exhausted by the hardcore training that me and my pokemon. It was a pretty eventful day. I smiled, fond of the memories that weren't old at all. This sneaking around had only been around for about a week, but it already felt like a lifetime for some reason.

_'Now... I hope it's not too late,'_ I thought, looking at the wall clock, relieved that it was only about nine. _'I gotta get up early. Rood told me that I shouldn't be late, and quite frankly, I don't plan to.'_

Reluctantly standing up from the couch, I made my way back to my room and stuffed my pokeballs under my mattress. I fluffed the pillows and laid down to sleep, uncaring for the use of a blanket, and used my bed for the first time in days.

* * *

**Foreshadow : End**

* * *

Yeah, so this one took a while. For the past few days, I've been busy and not feeling all too well, but at the very least I updated it. I'm not too content with this chapter. I thought the mood was sorta weird and it had no point, despite having some plot points, so... Meh, what are you going to do?

There was actually a whole scene with Looker that was primarily comedic, but I thought that it was out of place and out of character, so I took it out. If anyone is interested in reading it, tell me in a review or a PM and I'll send it to you. Or if you're a guest, I'll just post it in the author's note in the next chapter. But it isn't really that well written out so no one is missing out on anything.

By the way, did anyone else think that the Shadow Triad were just muscular women until the BW2 trailer? Nope? Just me?

pokelover619 : I suppose I don't, haha. I'm never a fan of my own works. Somehow, I doubt that you were on the edge of your seat. Every time I reread that chapter, I'm annoyed with how it came out. But thanks for your support, it really means a lot that you actually support the story. As of now, I do plan on Genesect playing significant roles, but we'll see how that all plays out. By the way, sorry for not replying to your other review. For some reason, I got an e-mail, but it didn't show up on the site when I was typing up the Author's Note, so I completely forgot about it. That was a my bad. It's good to know that writing the POV of others was a good idea. I was a bit unsure about that. But makings of a great writer? Somehow, I doubt that. Sorry for the lengthy reply.

KawaiiJoltic : Thanks for reviewing again. You've been reviewing for quite a few chapters by now, and it really does mean a lot to know that people actually follow it (as opposed to pressing "follow" and then uncaring for the update when it comes). I suppose this update was kinda late, huh? Sorry about that. And I'm honestly not sure how long the frequent updates will last. To be honest, I've just been having a writer's high, and I kinda suspect that within the next few chapters I'll be having writer's block. Oh well, we'll see how it plays out. Sorry for the lengthy reply.

shadowkitten11 : Thanks. I'm glad to know that you think this way of it.

LadyMeiLian : I decided not to delete it, because then all of this writing would've been pointless. I actually suspect that I may be re-writing it sometime in the future. The word count keeps bouncing around from chapter to chapter, and I feel like my writing has improved (albeit not by much) since the first chapter. There's also the fact that I use and repeat way too many adjectives . But you really thought it was a good interpretation of angst? I thought I did a rather poor job of it. And I wouldn't say impeccable grammar. Every time I re-read my chapters, I keep finding errors that I missed when I was doing a final edit. But I do plan to continue the story no matter what. I actually feel like I might have writer's block soon. A lot of my ideas are centered around the climax, and writing my way up to it is somewhat torturous, because I'm so anxious. As for tips, I'm not the one to ask. I'm not really a good writer, and this is only my second multi-chapter story, the first one being on hiatus ._.' I usually just get ideas by rereading past chapters and coming up with ways to connect them in ways that people wouldn't expect, or fantasizing during the day about the most exciting parts I plan for the story. That alone motivates me to write the "filler" between now and then. But that's just me, and as you can see, the result isn't too impressive as of now. Yeah, I'm an odd one. If your story is a pokemon one (or some other thing I've played/watched/read), I'm actually compelled to read it. Sorry for the lengthy reply. (Gosh, this one was really lengthy O.o)


	10. Pseudo Trepidation

**Chapter 10 : Pseudo Trepidation**

* * *

I awoke with a start.

Some voice was trying to tell me something, but... I couldn't make it out. It was then when I looked at the wall clock and realized that while it was fairly early in the morning, the ideal time of my arrival to Route 1 was dawning.

First thing was first, though. I was supposed to be receiving a uniform today and show up at Route 1 in it. But where could it be? It's not like I had a mailbox or anything.

I jogged downstairs and was about to check the front door when I noticed something sitting on the couch from the corner of my eye. I approached it and saw that it was a box. I opened it and was surprised not to see white cloth, but black.

_'Black..? So what am I, the black knight or something?'_ My unspoken joke resulted in me laughing a little. I brought the box back up to my room and deftly changed into it. When I was putting it on, it didn't feel at all like a puffy knight's outfit or a giant flowing robe, so I curiously went over to a mirror on my wall.

"W-What..." I muttered in disbelief. "I don't get it... What am I?" I tried to see what N was thinking when it came to my uniform, but nothing came to mind. _'Forget that middle-east middle-ages sorta thing Team Plasma's going for... I seriously don't get what I am. It definitely isn't a monk like the sages. Yet again, the King N doesn't have a giant cape.'_

It was some sort of grey full-body jumpsuit that had a turtle neck and some sort of bandanna on the mouth area. The rest of the articles were black. Thigh-high boots, a torso that donned the Team Plasma emblem and felt like a bullet-proof vest, some sort of odd neck collar, a utility belt, and gloves. Not to mention a puffy hat, but not like the one that the sages wore, or the giant hoods of grunts. It was a puffy beret with an "X" taped in the front.

"Really, I give..." I muttered to myself again. "I seriously don't get what I am," I decided as I pulled down the "mouth bandanna" and just let it fall over the odd neck collar. "Well... What else do I have to do?" I asked myself, trying to recall the list Rood gave me. _'My pokemon were supposed to arrive alongside my uniform, right? So... Where are they?' _I wondered as I searched the box for anything I might have missed. After a minute or two, I sighed. "Nope. No dice."

It then dawned on me that I got a utility belt, and looking down on my waist, I saw five minimized pokeballs clipped to the left side of my waist.

_'Wow, a nearly full team...' _I observed, somewhat impressed. _'Didn't think I'd be getting more than two.'_

With the uniform and my pokemon settled, I couldn't think of anything more that I'd need. Well, aside from showing up at Route 1.

_'So what..? Am I just going to train with these guys all day or do something for the Team?' _I asked myself as I fixed my hat and exited the door.

Stepping outside felt... Different?

The normal passers would only send me glance and cringe at my unusual attire before just shrugging it off and continuing about their normal routine. However, I noticed that the few Team Plasma members in my field of vision tried to avoid making eye contact, or better yet, even look at me. It was almost as if they were nervous.

I didn't think much of it, though. I just continued walking to Route 1. After a few glances and aversions, I decided that something was wrong, aside from my clothing. I observed myself, trying to spot something wrong, and then my eyes laid upon the five pokeballs that were clipped to my waist.

_'Oh, right... No pokemon,'_ I recalled as I unclipped them and slipped them into my gloves. It felt a little odd to have a bunch of bumps coming out of my palms, but I assumed that it was better than having them sticking out of the clear like that. _'But even if people were staring and un-staring, why wouldn't some grunt come and take them..?' _Looking over myself, I remembered that I had a Team Plasma emblem on me.

I didn't think much else of it and continued my way to Route 1. I noticed that a civilian was trying to pass through. The grunts let him pass after a minute, but only after frisking him over for anything suspicious.

I took another look at my hands. It was painfully obvious to spot the spheres that were popping from out of my gloves. I twisted my hands at a few different angles and decided that it wasn't that noticeable from a certain angle. _'But they won't take them away, will they?'_

When I looked back up at the two grunts standing by Route 1, I noticed a lot of people starting to line up. The person in front routinely stood still as the two grunts standing by checked him out. After they were done, the person walked into Route 1, the line moved up, and the process repeated.

_'Did I miss something..?'_ I wondered, remembering how I was out for practically the whole afternoon yesterday. _'I hope it was nothing important...'_ I gulped and made my way to the back of the line.

The two women in front of me sent me a curious glance, but quickly returned to their gossip, which happened to be about my rather odd attire.

"And she just comes to the end of the line like this!" one woman exclaimed, trying to level her tone but failing.

"I know, I know. If she wants to show appreciation for Team Plasma, that's not the way to do it."

"I mean, look! Why is there tape on her hat?" the first woman asked, pointing at my head.

I followed her gaze, almost as if I could see the taped cross on my hat. "Believe me lady, I'd like to know that too._"_

The two women gasped when they realized that I could hear what they were saying. However, they smiled to try and ignore their previous comments.

"You're going to Accumula Town, right?" one of the women asked. "There are a couple of boutiques there that you can probably find a better hat for your outfit."

"I agree, you should go look for one," the second woman chimed in, gesturing her hands to Route 1. "It's a relief that yesterday Team Plasma said we can travel from town to town."

"Yup! Though I don't see why they had to gather us around just to tell us that."

"Oh really?" I asked. "Yesterday I kinda fell asleep early... Would you mind telling me what they told you yesterday?"

"Oh, of course!" the first woman trilled. "Aside from being able to travel to Accumula Town, Team Plasma is also accepting new members."

"It seems like something you'd be interested in," the second woman added while eyeing the Team Plasma emblem on my chest.

I smiled. "Yeah, thanks." It was somewhat relieving to know that I didn't miss much. _  
_

The two women went back to their gossip, waiting patiently to get to the front of the line. I took the time to notice that two more people lined up behind me.

_'Yeah, I suppose being shacked up in town would make you want to get out.'_ After all, there was really nothing to do in Nuvema except visit the lab and interact with the pokemon there, but they were long gone.

It didn't take too long to get to the front of the line. I expected to be patted down or something, but instead, the two grunts on duty stiffened and saluted.

"Lady Hilda, you must have known that waiting on a line wasn't necessary," the male grunt spoke up.

"L-Lady..?" I muttered, baffled. I was unable to conceal my surprise at my given title.

"Of course. Now if you will come with me, Lord Zinzolin is waiting for you," recited the female grunt as she relieved her hand and walked into Route 1.

"U-Uh..." I stuttered, still confused, but followed her anyway. _'If he's addressed as 'Lord,' I'm going to assume Zinzolin is a sage.'_

Since Team Plasma came here a week ago, all I've been getting is dirty looks from grunts due to the suspicion placed on me. But today they seemed nervous, tense, or as these two acted, respectful? It just didn't make sense to me. And the title "Lady." That I didn't understand either. I realize that I'm of a high rank, but I'm no sage or queen. I'm an admin. Even though it was only used once, the title was admittedly making me uncomfortable.

"Y-You do know there's no need to call me 'Lady,' right?" I assured the grunt who I was following. "'Hilda' is fine."

The grunt didn't response, making me frown.

"By the way, how did you know who I was?" I asked curiously. "I mean, to call me 'Lady.'"

"Your promotion was announced just yesterday," the grunt informed me without even bothering to look back. She stopped. "Lord Zinzolin is to the left by the pond. I must return to my duties," she informed me, saluting again. "Plasmaa!" she saluted as she ran off in the direction back to town.

I felt an awkward bead of sweat running down the back of my head. _'This... Will take some getting used to,'_ I admitted. Not too long ago I was beating these guys up on the street, and now they were respecting me? I took one final look around Route 1 before going in the said direction. I could make out a few people walking into Accumula Town from a rather short line. _'Looks like checkups will be pretty common from now on...'_

I walked over in the said direction and saw a sage wearing purple robes. His back was turned to me and he was just staring out into the pond. I quickly identified him as the sage that was talking with the Shadow Triad yesterday. After a few more steps, he finally realized that someone was approaching him, as he whipped around with a dour expression.

"So you're the one that our Lord N has recruited?" he asked sourly.

I simply nodded.

He looked at my belt and frowned. "Where are your pokemon?" he demanded.

I held up my palm and took out the five pokeballs from under the glove.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why did you put them there?" he snapped.

"People were looking at them," I replied, making sure to keep my tone indifferent. I could tell that this guy was just as stiff as Ghetsis. "I didn't want to arouse attention."

Zinzolin didn't look satisfied with my answer. "The next time I see you, I expect you to wear your uniform as normal."

"Yes, Lord Zinzolin."

Zinzolin seemed somewhat pleased that I addressed him by "Lord." That, or just that introductions weren't needed. "I'm sure that Rood has told you that you must spend today training your pokemon."

I nodded.

"You must master them today," warned Zinzolin, "for you will be leading the liberation in Striaton City tomorrow."

I stopped myself from cringing. _'Tomorrow already..?' _I wondered, somewhat impressed, yet a little worried. _'But why am I leading? Doesn't some grunt usually do it..?' _I nodded to ensure that Zinzolin knew I understood. _'I suppose they need some sort of figurehead aside from the King. But I don't even know what to do.' _I also had to stop myself from cringing at how Zinzolin used the word "master" to describe training.

"I may not be here, but I expect it done," he commanded in a strict and unforgiving tone. "Team Plasma does not waste time when it comes to Pokemon Liberations. I will be leading the ones on a distant island that is part of Unova, but isolated from the main land," he informed me proudly. It seemed that Zinzolin liked to feel important. "If you fail, I'm sure that Lord Ghetsis has already warned you of your punishment?" he asked with some sadism in his voice.

I winced, though slightly. I reluctantly nodded. _'Speaking of Cheren and the others, I think they'd like to know that the next raid is tomorrow.'_

"Now train your pokemon," he ordered in a harsh and ruling tone, "and if anyone tries to stop you, punish them." Zinzolin then walked away in the direction of Accumula Town without any care.

_'It doesn't seem like he wanted to be here,' _I observed, _'but I suppose someone needed to tell me I'd be leading in Striaton City, and this guy is in charge of the liberations.'_

I slipped my hand under my glove and took out the five pokeballs and started to weigh them with my hand. Not that it did anything, but I just felt like it. I was pretty curious to see what pokemon I'd be receiving. I knew they wouldn't be too powerful; Ghetsis would never put too much power in my hands.

I summoned them all out at once. I felt my face be illuminated by the red light that released them.

_'The normal grunt pokemon,'_ I observed._ 'Not too surprising... But I really couldn't have gotten any better?'_

Before me stood a Watchog, a Purrloin, a Krookadile, a Scraggy, and a Trubbish. They all looked at me with wary and tense eyes, with the exception of one. The Purrloin seemed to cower a little, trying not to meet my gaze. It was doing a good job of trying to hide its emotions though.

"So... It looks like I'm going to be your trainer for a while," I awkwardly introduced.

The majority of them snorted and groaned, crossing their arms and looking away. I noted that the Purrloin shrunk back a little.

"_Okay_," I continued, feeling somewhat out of place. "I guess I'm going to train you now."

The Krookodile grunted something unfathomable.

_'Now which one will I work on first?' _I wondered. _'I'm going to assume there is going to be more than one trainer rebelling this__ time around...' _I took another glance at the pokemon. _'Krookodile seems like the most powerful, but...' _

I tried to avoid thinking about the fact that I might have to take down the Striaton Brothers again, but those thoughts were inescapable. If I was going to lead, then there would definitely be a conflict between me and the gym leaders. In that case, Krookodile would be weak against two of the three main types; Cilan and Cress, or grass and water.

The five of them looked at me eagerly, waiting to see what I'd do. The Watchog, Krookodile, and Scraggy seemed to be getting impatient. The Trubbish seemed distant. What interested me was that the Purrloin was looking down at the ground and wasn't giving off the hard and detached vibe that the other four were.

"I'll start with Purrloin," I declared as I returned the other four to their pokeballs, much to the impatient ones' dismays. I crouched down to get at eye level with Purrloin, who was still trying not to look at me. "Hey there... I noticed that you don't seem to ecstatic to be under my care."

The Purrloin reluctantly looked up at me, a motley amount of emotions wavering in its fearful eyes. Despite that, it still tried to keep up a calm facade before looking away again, but more forcefully.

_'A stubborn one,'_ I noted. "You're one of the stolen pokemon, aren't you?" I asked hesitantly.

Purrloin continued to stare.

"I guess Team Plasma grunts aren't the most hospitable people, hm?" I asked trying to lighten the mood. Even flashing a smile didn't seem to lift up its spirit. I sighed. "You're one of the stolen pokemon, aren't you?" I asked again, except this time I forced it a little more.

The Purrloin hesitantly looked at me nodded weakly before turning its glance away again.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to mistreat you," I assured it. "But I still don't know who your trainer is and when you were stolen."

The Purrloin looked at a different direction, not knowing where to land its gaze. Anywhere but me I assumed.

"I know you don't want to do this, but I have to train you," I warned it. "If I don't, it'll mean bad news for the both of us." I could personally deal with a punishment inflicted on me, but I didn't want anyone or anything else to get punished if it was on my part.

Purrloin made a sound that sounded like it was suppressing a growl before looking me dead in the eye and baring its teeth at me. It raised its claw, intent on attacking.

I started to feel sympathy for it. I held up a hand as if trying to calm it down. "Hey now, I-"

"Lady Hilda, I've been told to check up on you," a familiar voice intruded.

When I looked up, I saw that it was the same female grunt that was stationary at Route 1's entrance. She was accompanied by two other male grunts. They were standing not too far away.

"Is this pokemon giving you a hard time?" she asked, somewhat angrily. She walked over to the Purrloin, who started to back away towards me, albeit unwillingly.

I couldn't see its facial expression, but I could only assume it was fear. When it backed up into my knee, I could see some of the hairs on its neck standing up.

The grunt stared down at Purrloin, arching her eyes in ire. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to set him straight for you," she threatened as she reached down and tried to grab the Purrloin.

"That won't be necessary," I sharply cut in, "and there's no need to call me 'Lady,'" I added in sloppily.

The grunt stood up straight, somewhat irritated that I cut her off. "Lady Hilda, I insist that I teach this Purrloin to behave," she asserted as she grabbed the Purrloin, who started struggling in her grasp. She held the Purrloin to her face. "Didn't we tell you already? You _will _listen to us!" she demanded.

The Purrloin was frantically looking for a way out of her grip, but still refused to make a noise.

"Put it down!" I ordered, standing up so that I was at eye level with the grunt. "I told you, there's no need for you to do anything to it!"

The grunt annoyingly looked away from the Purrloin and then at me. "But Lady Hilda, I have to set this nuisance straight if I'm to assist you!" she exhorted, trying to challenge me with her eyes. The two grunts male grunts ran up from behind her as if to defend her. "We retrieved all of your pokemon, so therefore it's our responsibility to handle any defective ones."

I cringed a little at how she used the word "defective" to describe pokemon.

"If you're going to be our new admin, we must assist in helping you!" one of the grunts added, confused and angry that I was refusing their services.

"We'll just take this Purrloin and give him back to you later," the female grunt sneered, her ill-intended tone meant for the Purrloin and not me.

_'Being played by my own grunts..? HA! No.' _I inwardly scoffed at how I could have sarcastic thoughts at a time like this. "I said no!" I roared, making the grunts stop in their tracks. After a second, I negligently added, "And there's no need to call me 'Lady!'"

The three grunts ignored my last outburst, only addressing the first one. The grunt who had yet to speak replied, "We retrieved this Purrloin ourselves, so we refuse for him to be a nuisance to you!"

"We'll ensure that he's _obedient_ for you later," she disparaged. While her words were meant for me, her ill-intended tone and scowl was once again intended for Purrloin, who was still soundlessly struggling.

I scowled upon seeing how stubborn they were. "I said _no_." I glared a the grunt, challenging her with my eyes. "Are you doubting my abilities?" I asked, a false inkling of rage contained within my tone. "And where do you think you were going?" I challenged further, continuing my harangue. "When I say something, you comply! I am your superior! Now, put the Purrloin down!"

The grunts looked shocked at my sudden change in mood. The female grunt was too confused to comply.

"You're _still _defying me?" I further challenged, my tone escalating. "Must I reprimand you?" I interrogated, arching my eyes and crossing my arms. _'W-Wait... I-I'm allowed to do that... R-Right..?' _I wondered nervously, but still didn't back down from my assertion.

The answer to my unspoken question was clarified when the three grunts looked at me in fear. They each took a step back.

"I-I'm sorry, Lady Hilda..." the grunt stuttered as she loosened her grip on the struggling Purrloin and set him down on the ground.

The Purrloin immediately ran behind me, and I could feel him pressed up behind my legs.

"Don't let it happen again," I warned, "and stop calling me 'Lady.'" I kept my tone demanding so that they wouldn't take me lightly again.

"O-Of course, it won't happen again," the female grunt assured me. The other two male grunts nodded in agreement, too intimidated to say something.

I scowled when I realized that they weren't referring to my given title.

My frown hinted that I was unsatisfied, but the grunts took it for the wrong reason. "We'll leave you be," one of the male grunts assured me as the three of them bowed and then hurriedly jogged out of my sight, presumably back to their posts.

I fleered, quite satisfied with myself when I saw the grunts running away. Also upon the revelation that I did in fact have power over the grunts. _'This may be more fun than I thought...'_ It was then that I remembered that the Purrloin was hiding behind me. I turned the upper half of my body to get another look at it.

He was looking up at me with curious and fearful eyes, slightly shaking.

I did a 180 and crouched down by him. "I'm going to assume you don't want to train today, so we'll wait until next time, okay?"

The Purrloin still didn't give a response.

I took out its pokeball from the clip on my waist and returned it. The red light felt a little warm; probably because I was so close to it. Standing back up, I thought about what other pokemon I wanted to train. _'They all seem pretty distant, so I suppose I'll have to choose by typing...' _

While there will probably be a lot of trainers rebelling this time around, the only people who would probably prove to be challenging are the gym leaders. They were the easiest gym leaders that I've faced, but I had a suspicion that they each owned stronger pokemon that were considered too powerful to be used in a gym match.

I had already canceled out the use of Krookodile for this time, if I was leading for more than one time anyway. That left me with Watchog, Scraggy, or Trubbish. I decided to go with Scraggy for the moment; while Watchog did have more experience, Scraggy didn't seem to be as unwilling to train with me as the others.

"Alright... It's your turn Scraggy," I announced as I unclipped its pokeball from my belt and summoned it out.

The Scraggy stared up at me with readiness. It also seemed to have a natural smut on its face.

"What moves do you know?"

The Scraggy huffed and turned around as if it's been asked that question many times in the past. "Scraggy!" he roared as he jumped in the air and led out his foot, speeding away in the direction that he was facing. His foot cut through the air, even creating a visual of the strong wind it caused. The imagery around its foot started to die down and he gracefully landed back on the ground. He looked back at me for further instructions.

"That was high jump kick, right?" I asked. _'Impressive...'_

Scraggy nodded.

"What else do you know?" I asked longingly.

The scraggy glanced the the side and scratched its head. He looked somewhat embarrassed. Before I could question why, he effortlessly kicked the ground, resulting in a giant cloud of dust to lurk by the ground. It was gradually spreading out, but the dust cloud never reached above my knees. The Scraggy scowled and grumbled something.

"...Sand attack?" I asked, somewhat reluctantly. _'And a really pathetic one at that...'_ I mentally added._  
_

The Scraggy gave a stern nod.

"...That's it?" I asked, somewhat baffled. "That's all you know?"

Another stern nod.

"Ah... Okay. Well, we can work with this," I assured it. _'So it can learn a powerful move such as 'high jump kick' but the only other move it knows is 'sand attack..?''__  
_

As if it sensed my thoughts, the Scraggy frowned and turned away, huffing in annoyance.

I sighed._ 'This... May take some work.'_

* * *

In the end, after long hours of grinding and practicing, I was able to get Scraggy to learn two new moves: headbutt and crunch. I was actually pretty impressed with its power. Despite being the lowest evolutionary form of its kind, it was pretty strong, and I was confident that it could take down a Scrafty with the right sense of direction.

Unfortunately, I took too long training with Scraggy. That gave me very little time to train my other Team Plasma pokemon. Therefore, the most I could do was get familiar with them.

I didn't bother to take out Krookodile and Purrloin again; I had already ruled out Krookodile and I assumed that Purrloin wouldn't be into the idea of training again.

The Trubbish knew poison gas, toxic spikes, doubleslap, and sludgebomb. I wasn't too impressed with its moveset, but it would have to make do.

The Watchog knew hyper fang, hypnosis, confuse ray, and slam. I declared it a bit better than Trubbish, but I knew that Scraggy was most likely going to carry my team if we had to battle tomorrow.

There was something off-putting about the three pokemon I trained. For lack of a better word, they seemed distant... Coldhearted? Mean? I just couldn't think of the right word. Scraggy seemed to carry those traits in obedience though. I wondered if the grunts from earlier trying to take away Purrloin did something to it, but I quickly dismissed any thoughts relating to that. Trubbish and Watchog had a dour vibe, but did as I said when I tested their moves anyway.

Purrloin was the only one of the five that didn't give off some sort of malevolent feel, piquing my interest. I actually was going to release him again, but then I noticed how late it was; the sky wasn't dark, but it was turning into a warm orange.

Walking back to town, I noticed a rather short line consisting of about three people leading into Nuvema. Apparently, they needed a second check to get back into town. _'Just how cautious can they get?'_ I wondered, curious of Team Plasma's evident paranoia. I walked in front of the line, much to the three people's dismays, and into town without speaking to the two grunts on post, who bowed at my presence. I would've told them that it wasn't necessary, but I not to waste time.

I needed to find Looker. I didn't want to be sneaking into the lab too much, especially now since I was at such a high rank in Team Plasma. This would be the worst time to arouse suspicion. Therefore, I had to give Looker some info to pass on to Cheren and the others. And hopefully I could convince him to help me with Professor Juniper's plan.

At the very least, I wanted to be able say that I did something productive for our "resistance." I aimlessly walked around Nuvema Town eyeing the few male grunts that I saw. I noted that there was a significant decrease in the amount of grunts patrolling the area. There were barely even walking around. _'They must have moved on to Accumula Town.'_

After a few more minutes, I gave up and went back home. Opening my door, I sighed at my inability to do anything useful. As soon as I stepped in, the door closed on its own.

I gasped and turned around, startled by the loud "bang" it made. Knowing someone was in my house, I fixed myself straight.

Ghetsis was standing in the middle of my house, a bitter scowl engraved on his face.

"What do you want?" I asked sternly, stuttering a "Lord Ghetsis" after remembering that I was a subordinate.

Ghetsis' eyes only arched more, revealing that he wasn't here for a pleasant tea party. He was angry about something, but what? "You have quite the audacity," he put it plainly, an inkling of rage hidden in his voice, "to do what you have done."

I raised an eyebrow. _'What did I do..?' _Before I could voice my inquiry, Ghetsis continued to speak.

"I don't know where you put the device but Zinzolin, that babbling fool, wasn't keen enough to notice." Another glint of rage sparkled in Ghetsis' one good eye. He glared at me, expecting me to fess up to something.

_'What's he getting at..?' _I knew that if I tried to speak, I'd only get cut off again. Then I remembered the device that I've overheard things about. It was delivered the day Genesect escaped and Zinzolin talked about it with the Shadow Triad yesterday. Team Plasma needed it and it only had one use; that much I knew about, but what did it have to do with me?

"I wouldn't get so smug either," Ghetsis warned in a sinister tone. The absence of his devious smirk felt somewhat uncanny. "Just because our Lord N has an interest in you, that doesn't mean you're untouchable."

_'Is this about me barking at those grunts earlier?' _I suggested to myself. _'So... I'm an admin and I don't even have power over the grunts. Nice.'_ I mentally sighed. _'I might as well let this guy finish venting then.'_

"Now... I don't expect you to tell me where the device is; your mouth is as small as your abilities, isn't it?" he asked, keeping a serious tone and face despite his attempt at an offensive remark. "Just know; even though your friends are no longer here in the lab, I wo-"

"What..?" I muttered, my eyes widening. _'Did he just say..?'_

"Don't cut me off again!" Ghetsis sneered, his scowl only growing.

"What did you say?" I asked nervously, clenching my fists a little. "What did you do with them?" I could feel the worry in my eyes. I probably seemed defenseless at the moment, but that thought didn't occur to me until after my actions were done.

Ghetsis looked confused for a second, but he quickly wiped it off with a smut. "Is that _any _way to speak to your superior?" he asked again; however, his tone wasn't angry like I suspected it to be. He just seemed annoyed.

"You said that my friends were no longer in the lab!'" I repeated, semi-yelling. "What does that even mean? What did you do?!"

The absence of a devious smirk was now filled with the said trait along with a sinister glint in his eye to accompany it. "Why, nothing of the sort. Well... Perhaps just what you aren't thinking." He was avoiding giving me a straight answer, but I wouldn't take it.

"What. Did. You. DO?!" I demanded, stepping forward. Any worry turned into rage.

The Shadow Triad, suspecting that I was going to assault Ghetsis, appeared in front of me and by my sides, cornering me to my door and blocking my view of Ghetsis.

"I assure you, nothing dire... As long as you cooperate." His voice was starting to haunt my thoughts. He hissed just like a snake before it pounced at its prey.

I practically growled. _'I didn't step out of line, did I?! He broke our 'deal!'' _I tried looking past the Shadow Triad member in front of me, but to no avail; I couldn't see even a hint of Ghetsis, not that I wanted to see him basking in the glory of his sadism. "What did I do?! Why did you do it?! What _did_ you do?!" I was in too much of a blind fury to even think of something else to ask.

"I did it... Simply because I could."

Those words practically broke me. My eyes couldn't get any wider. "GHETSIS! WHERE ARE THEY?!" What he did didn't even matter anymore; something happened to my friends, and answers could come later.

"Just remember this feeling of angst and torture..." he warned. "Consider this a preliminary of what would happen _if _you defy Team Plasma." His voice was calm. It was sickening.

_'So I didn't even do anything!' _I was furious, but I knew that doing anything would only turn a whole organization against me; a whole organization that acquired the control of two towns, soon to be three. Taking a deep breath, I attempted to ask calmly, "What did you mean by my friends here in the lab?" I already knew what he meant by that, but I couldn't let him know I was in contact with them. On the other hand, my attempt at keeping calm came out as if I was growling through my teeth.

"They were under house arrest with the two professors at the lab."

"And what did you mean by they aren't there anymore?" I asked, mirroring my earlier tone.

"Just that."

I cursed under my breath, but decided not to touch up on that topic anymore.

The Shadow Triad, assuming that I was quelled, took a few steps back before dispersing again; they were still there, though. I could sense them lurking about.

Ghetsis was standing smugly a few feet away, enjoying my angst.

"What will it take for you to give me a straight answer?" I challenged, anger never leaving my eyes.

Ghetsis seemed amused by my proposition. "I do have something in mind, but not one that you can fulfill now... In due time."

My scowl grew. _'What is he up to..?'_

"You may visit the lab if you so desire," he offered, trying to switch the subject. I clenched my teeth in response, a response that made Ghetsis smirk. "And don't forget... You will be leading the liberation in Striaton City. You don't want to make a mistake... You don't want that kind of failure on your hands, do you?" he mocked. It was obvious that he wasn't referring to any kind of loss in Striaton City.

I was sure that my face depicted rage but I obediently nodded, albeit unconvincingly.

Ghetsis' smirk widened. He was greedily drinking up my malevolent emotions. "Good..." he simply stated as he walked past me and out of my door. It closed on its own after he stepped out. While it was obviously the Shadow Triad's doing, it was as if he had some sort of ominous force working with him, trying to build up his intimidating demeanor.

It was bad enough that Cheren, Bianca, and the professor Junipers were locked up... But now I had no idea what was up with them. First my pokemon, then my mom, followed by my friends... I was truly alone.

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. I bolted out of the door, determined not to let it happen.

* * *

True to what Ghetsis said, no one was in the lab. It was emptier than ever, an uncanny echo pounding in my ears with each step I took. This place just got emptier every time I set foot in it. I rounded the corner to the living room, as if expecting the four of them to be conversing at the long table.

Nothing.

Not even the large mass of papers that I brought back not too long ago. I desperately looked around, haste in every step, every movement, every glance... There had to be a hint of what Ghetsis did to them around somewhere. There had to be!

The place was spotless though. As I looked around, I couldn't help but wonder where they slept. There weren't any beds or cots or even futons kept anywhere.

I was starting to get a bit frustrated with my search. I couldn't even find the papers I stole. Perhaps a grunt found them looking at it... Perhaps that's why they were punished? _'But then... What was the point of Ghetsis coming over..? No. It was probably coincidental. Ghetsis implied that he did whatever he did just to get to me...'_ And as much as I hated to admit it, it worked.

Just when I was going to throw in the towel and go home, something caught my eye. Something sitting by the window pane. It was bright compared to the dark night sky that was fighting its way through the glass. It was _glowing_..?

I shook my head, and for some reason, I felt hope. _'No... It's just a trick of the night.'_ I felt drawn to it, and I found myself walking there without even thinking. I picked it up delicately, as if it was the most fragile thing I've ever seen.

I saw words, but it was hard to read. It was then I realized that this whole time, the lights in the lab were off. I had been searching in the dark, and this small white piece of paper contrasted with the dullness that it was almost as if it was a light. Was it really a trick of the night?

Squinting, I read out loud.

"'Hilda; I still haven't perfected those 'vitamins.'' Vitamins?" I muttered. "Why is it in quotations?" I continued to read on. "'Perhaps you can assist me the next time I see you. I would give you my failed experiments, but those are with me to fix my past mistakes. As a professor and a scientist, I know that in order to advance in my results, I mustn't just learn from my mistakes, but keep them around to revel in my improvement. That's aside from the point though. I've noticed that you've never addressed me by my name. Is it because my daughter and I harbor the same last name? Then next time you see me, I expect you to call me by my first name, Cedric." That was where the words ended.

I slipped the piece of paper into my pocket. I felt the oddest kind of smile tugging at the side of my mouth. _'Cedric, huh? Well... I'll just leave matters into your hands then.' _I started walking out, the echoing of my footsteps still at its haunting volume, but now somewhat soothing. I murmured to myself, as if someone else was there to witness it. "Until we meet again, then."

* * *

**Pseudo Trepidation : End**

* * *

Finally! Next chapter, the actual plot starts.

Hopefully that'll make up for this being such a small chapter. In fact, this feels like the most rushed and repetitive chapter yet.

I really do hate writing on the fanfiction website... Sometimes my browser randomly closes or refreshes, and if I haven't saved, I lose everything that I wrote after my last save... That's why this one was a little late.

As for Hilda's uniform, it is the female grunt's from Black and White 2. I have two reasons for making it this. 1) I have no creativity whatsoever. 2) Will be explained later (a spoiler).

I did a pretty pathetic job on Hilda training her new pokemon. I was just a bit off edge because the things I typed up for it were deleted twice. No excuse though, right?

I also think I made Hilda overreact at Ghetsis' words. I was trying to express how she'd feel because firstly, she's isolated from everyone close to her. There was also the fact that all of them were pretty confident about this "resistance" they were building up. Just as she was looking for a way to contact them, a bomb was dropped, but... Does anyone think I need to re-write that? Opinions and criticism? Please?

A few plot points in this chapter, and I'd explain some of them, but they're spoilers... Uh... Scroll down past the review responses if you want to see them then.

Lastly, remember that deleted scene I talked about last chapter? Yeah? Don't ask for it... I accidentally deleted it... **Facepalm*

supersexyghotmew95 : Thanks. It good to know that people actually like my story, because I don't ._.'

Kawaiijoltic : "I can't wait to see what Pokémon Plasma Admin Hilda gets. Hopefully N goes for something a bit better than Liepard and Watchog for her..." LOL, I'm sorry, but I knew she was getting grunt pokemon from the start, just too keep a common theme. It's as if saying despite N's interest, the seven sages only see her as a grunt. If it helps, N didn't choose out her pokemon. Those three grunts stole and captured them. I'm pretty sure I replied to the rest of your review in a personal message.

shadowkitten11 : Thanks. I do try and make my chapters a bit humorous because I feel like it fits Hilda's character. It's good to know that you don't think it's too out of place.

**Minor Spoilers Below** **:**

If you read that conversation between Hilda and Ghetsis carefully, you would notice that Ghetsis thought that Hilda had something to do with her friends escaping and the device, which was apparently stolen. When he realized that she didn't, his sadistic side kicked in and he played along. The hints were the fact that Ghetsis was speaking about it "casually" and smirking and mocking Hilda after she asked all of those questions (he's a sadist in my story). He pretty much just took advantage of the situation.

That being said, the extremely corny note that Cedric wrote? Hilda would've thought that he wrote that to assure her to keep on going even though Team Plasma did something to them, but now that you know Team Plasma didn't do anything to them... What do you think the note means? Nothing, really. He was just casually partaking in banter. But his words were coincidentally what Hilda needed to hear.

Also, since "vitamins" was in quotation marks, you can assume that he's not talking about actual vitamins. What do you think Cedric is really working on?

There are actually a lot more foreshadows in here, but unlike the few that I've pointed out above, you wouldn't know what they mean until it shows up later in the story.


	11. Borderline Saga

**Chapter 11 : Borderline Saga**

* * *

Today would be the raid in Striaton City.

I woke up with a feeling of uneasiness. _'Can I really go through with leading Team Plasma..?'_ My question went two ways. Could I actually hold a role of leadership? Could I really bring in and support malefactors to a city? There was a difference between spectating an initiating.

Yesterday, I was so distraught that the thought of even changing clothes didn't occur to me. I was good and ready to go; physically, at least. A part of me wanted to stall out for as long as I could, but another part was urging me on. Plus... I just had to keep going. Quitting now wouldn't give me the answers that I sought out. Even if I did stall, the raid would happen eventually.

I descended the stairs slowly as if I was trying to postpone the inevitable, but I knew that would never happen. I grabbed my satchel. It would look out of place with my uniform, but I didn't think that I needed to go for style at a time like this.

I knew that I would be separating pokemon and their trainers. _'Can I really live with that on my shoulders..? But can I really let anything happen to Cheren and Bianca..?'_

I had no doubt in my mind that there were many more trainers in Striaton City willing to rebel. First of all, there was a gym there, and any location with a pokemon gym had trainers growing in and out of it. And it was a _c__ity_. A lot more people than a town.

In fact... How would this work out? Sure, Striaton City is no where near as big as Castelia City, but it would still be pretty hard to gather up everyone like what Team Plasma did in Nuvema and Accumula.

Conflicting thoughts as such went through my had as I exited my house. I felt soothed yet aggrieved by leaving my home. I tuned out everything around me. I aimlessly walked about, mindlessly navigating my way to the entrance to Route 1; my mind was a blank, my steps were dragged.

I could just imagine Cheren reprimanding me for not thinking straight. That alone was enough to get me to release a solemn chuckle. A figment of my imagination or not, I decided that "Cheren" was right. I straightened up and started to walk a little more dignified.

I walked through the checkout at route one. The two grunts on duty saluted upon watching me pass. After a few more steps, the Shadow Triad popped up out of no where, one in front of me and two by my sides, just as usual. I was alarmed at their sudden appearance, but not surprised that they would show up at this time.

"..." They started at me, without saying a word.

I opened my mouth to break the silence, but they did instead.

"... Come." And with that, the three of them started escorting me some place at a pretty quick pace.

I was too confused to question their motives or just ignore their request. I was a little nervous as well, but complied. I tried to look past the one in front of me, but he was taller than I was, and I couldn't see exactly where we were going.

We turned left after a while and suddenly the Shadow Triad came to an abrupt stop. I almost bumped into the one in front of me. We were facing some sort of body of water.

"... Ghetsis. We brought the one you wanted," spoke the one in front of me. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the three simultaneously disappeared.

To no surprise, Ghetsis was standing a few feet in front of me with his back turned to me. We were standing where I met Zinzolin yesterday.

I was starting to get a bit nervous. _'Why does he want me here..? Did I do anything in my sleep or something?' _I bit my bottom lip in anticipation, scowling.

"You're probably wondering why I brought you here," Ghetsis stated. He still didn't bother to turn around. "I just wanted to make sure we were at an understanding."

"What do you mean?" I challenged.

"You see, I won't take any of your circumvention today. I believe that you've been told on more than one occasion that you're leading the liberation today?" Despite his voice being cold and calm, there was still a sinister vibe from his words.

"..." I waited to see if it was rhetorical. When it wasn't I answered with an abrupt, "That's right."

"If you make any wrong moves, you do know the consequences, don't you?"

I glowered at his form. _'So he brought me here just to mock me?!'_ I nodded, but then realized that he wasn't looking at me, so I hummed an "mhm." Deciding to take a long shot, I asked, "Why am _I_ leading?"

At first, Ghetsis' silence made me believed that he was irked at being questioned. However, he let out an amused cackle, confusing me deeply. "I'll humor you, then."

I raised an eyebrow, not that he could see it anyway.

"According to my sources, your battle with one of the Striaton gym leaders was rather memorable. The one you battled started to have a deep respect for you."

_'Cress..?' _I wondered. _'What did I do that was so special..?'_

"And as you know, Team Plasma would like to try and reason with people first. Perhaps if the one that he respected and defeated him was in Team Plasma, he would consider liberating his pokemon," Ghetsis explained. "And if he did, so would his brothers and the trainers in Striaton City that looks up to him as a role model."

I smirked. _'Does he really believe that would work? Cress has a strong spirit. So do the trainers!'_

"Or perhaps..." Ghetsis continued, venom seeping from his mouth.

I frowned. That meant that Ghetsis didn't actually expect that to happen. '_Then what is he up to..?'_

"The fact that his 'role model' is part of the very thing he opposes... He'll be crushed."

_'What kind of jerk would go that far?'_ I speculated. _'Even if that was Ghetsis' plan, it probably won't matter to Cress who I am anyway. I doubt he even remembers me.' _Feeling a bit gutsy, I asked, "Why such an interest in me?" in a mocking tone.

"Whatever do you mean?" He sounded somewhat amused.

"So_ your_ 'Lord N' wanted me to join Team Plasma. That I understand," I explained, "but what is the point of threatening me?"

"To make sure you won't try anything you won't regret," Ghetsis put it coldly. "If I feel that you're holding back today, I only have to say one word."

I felt my eyebrows scrunch a bit. _'I don't get it... I get that he's a sadist and everything but why does he see the need to remind me when he can?'_

"And who's to say it would end there?" he continued. "Maybe a few more words, leading to more dire consequences."

I didn't allow myself to show or display any emotions to Ghetsis' sadism. _'I'm starting to feel that these are empty threats.'_

Ghetsis seemed to sense that his fun was over. "And _our _Lord N doesn't need to know about our discussions..." he added in. Before I could question why, he followed up with, "If you go to the Pokemon Center in Accumula Town, you will be instructed on what you're supposed to do."

I groused at the fact that Ghetsis found his way around my questions, but I muttered an "alright."

"Just remember... I'll be watching you, so don't hold back or try anything worth thinking about."

* * *

Once I got to the Pokemon Center I noticed that Team Plasma seemed to make it their ephemeral headquarters. There was no sign of any Nurse Joy or Audino. Instead, there were a few dozen grunts scurrying around and carrying something that looked like metal picnic baskets. A handful came up to me and explained how they were instructed to tell me what to do and what would happen. I followed them around and dutifully took everything in.

There would be two divisions of grunts. Some entering through Route 3, some through Route 2. I was supposed to be leading the grunts from Route 2, but commanding both divisions once we both hit Striaton City and blocked everyone in. I was given some sort of device. It was a communicator. I could talk to a few grunts who had them. Apparently, there were groups within both divisions, each having their own communicator. That was how I was leading everybody.

I myself would not be collecting pokemon. I'd fight trainers who would resist and then instruct a grunt in my group to go collect them. I cringed at how they made it sound like we were at war. Those metal picnic baskets that I saw almost every grunt carrying was where they would store minimized pokeballs from people who gave away their pokemon to be liberated or ones stolen from resisters.

Before fighting resisters, I was supposed to try and convince them that liberation was a good thing. Like Ghetsis claimed, we would try to make as least adversaries as possible. If we stole pokemon from _everyone,_ there would be a lot of opposition once the city was under the control of Team Plasma.

Of course it would be impossible to gather up everyone in a _city _similar to how they did it in towns. Beforehand, I was supposed to shoot live footage of introducing myself and Team Plasma, if it was possible that there was anyone who hadn't witnessed a speech of Team Plasma before, and explain our goals of liberation. Also get in a mention about N and his Zekrom. Apparently, Team Plasma had scientists that had gone into Striaton City before and wired everything like TV's and radios so that they could transmit what they'd like, when they wanted.

After everything was explained, they took me back to the main floor and had me stand in the middle. In the midst of my confusion, two lines of Team Plasma grunts lined up behind me on both of my sides. Team Plasma flags that were used during speeches were aligned next to them. They dutifully stared into the distance as I gave my speech.

After I introduced myself as the admin of Team Plasma, I contemplated on telling the citizens of Striaton City to run or brace themselves, as this was being given live. However, I noticed that the Shadow Triad was observing me vigorously from the top floor. The fact that they didn't cloak themselves was meant to suffice as a reminder of what would happen if I didn't go along. I gave in and continued my speech.

I've decided; I'm a weakling.

Ghetsis was able to play me like a marionette. What I still couldn't figure out was why he chose to try and control me. Was it_ all_ because of N's interest in me? All I did was save his Vanillite.

My speech was told in a false sense of pride. I could only hope that it would pile up a good amount of people giving in pokemon, and that Team Plasma actually liberated the pokemon they collected. I was ruining many lives due to just two people. My best friends, but still... I was ruining it for the greater good. Had N even considered that the trainers grow bonds with their pokemon? Most likely not.

When I was done, the grunts behind me roared "PLASMAA!" and the transition went dead. I could almost feel myself going deaf, but I kept a straight face for the cameras. The grunts behind me dispersed and the two grunts with the microphone and camera walked away. I groused to myself and clenched my teeth in frustration.

Everything was false.

And here I am now, walking with _well_ over a hundred grunts marching behind me. It seemed countless. I didn't even know Team Plasma had this many members. I didn't see any pokemon or trainers around either. It was easy to assume that the pokemon were probably afraid of all the noise, and without pokemon around, trainers would have no reason to come out.

The truth was, I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I was told a general idea of what I was supposed to do, but how would I execute it? I believed that leading this thing would mostly be guess-work.

"Lady Hilda," a grunt spoke up as he ran to my side. "Striaton City is coming into view. What are your orders?"

"Stop calling me 'Lady' and just stick with 'Hilda,'" I suggested, twisting my head to get a look at him. "And thanks for the warning," I added in uncaringly as he ran back in place. _'I think they're all taking this a bit too_ _seriously,'_ I thought as I rolled my eyes._ 'We aren't an army.'_

My communicator emitted some static noise and I curiously brought it up. "Lady Hilda, Striaton City is coming into sight," a grunt from the communicator alerted me. It was most likely one from Route 3. I also heard a few behind me buzz, confirming that the few communicators out there were all linked.

"Firstly, stop calling me 'Lady.' Secondly, don't give the citizens any warning that we're entering," I explained. "If we do, radicals will hide. Enter each building on the outskirts of the City first and make your way to the heart of the City. First, ask affably for them to hand in their pokemon. Only if they deny it, then you get hostile."

"Understood," a myriad of voices replied through the communicator.

"Do not threaten them," I warned again. From past experiences, I thought it was a fair conclusion that grunts were idiots. "Only if they resist. Leave behind one group to guard the City's exits. The rest of you, about three people per building." This would be easy. Striaton City was a city, but it didn't have skyscrapers like Castelia City did. They were basically houses with an extra story or two. "Those of you who either haven't entered a building yet or don't have one to enter, look for trainers on the streets."

"Understood."

Sighing, I re-attached my communicator to my utility belt and looked behind me. "Who's in my group?" I asked. _'I really don't want to do this... But what about Cheren and Bianca..?' _I inwardly scoffed. _'Even at a time like this, they're the only thing on my mind.'_ I wanted to let out a frustrated scream, but another sighting of the Shadow Triad following me through the trees and not bothering to go invisible made me think otherwise.

About ten grunts stepped up form the front lines.

"You'll follow me. We're heading straight for the gym."

"Understood."

I stood still, and the rhythmic marching stopped not too soon after. "All of you, go now. I know that you've heard my plans."

"PLASMAA!" they screeched as the grunts ran into Striaton City, circumventing me and my group.

I felt bilious. _'So much for entering without anyone noticing... I feel pretty stupid to have to admit to leading these guys... I mean, the chant is bad enough.' _I stared down the ten grunts who remained behind. They were tense, making me feel a bit more comfortable. I wouldn't show it though. "Follow me," I stated blandly as we walked to the city. "While we're approaching the gym, do not hesitate to take the pokemon of anyone you see. If you lag behind, you can always catch up."

"Understood."

_'They're like mindless robots...' _I observed. I continued to walk with a false sense of pride. My eyes darted around. _'No, the Shadow Triad isn't around to remind me of my punishment anymore, but what about everybody else?'_ On the streets, I saw grunts coaxing bystanders to give in their pokemon. Most people complied without a fight. That meant either they were convinced by my pathetic speech or they just felt too helpless to fight. I wanted to look down on them for that, but I was pretty much doing the same thing.

I noticed a few battles going on at the corners of my eyes. They composed of one sole trainer being ganged up by three or four grunts. I gave a sad smile upon remembering how I would help out people who were in that situation.

There was a lot of yelling in the air, and I could hear the distant sounds of fighting. I tried to tune it out. I was at the gym and came to a halt.

"Lady Hilda, shall we go in?" a grunt asked from behind me.

I opened my mouth to object to my given title, but the gym doors burst open. I smirked. _'Hey, so they're coming to me... This can be fun.'_ Then I remembered why I was here and wiped the stupid grin off of my face.

"I'm telling you, let's knock some heads!" a familiar voice screeched as he jumped through the door, fists clenched. It was Chili. He was smiling, seeing Team Plasma grunts as nothing but toys. I would've laughed along with him. After all, I always thought the same thing, but this time around, I actually ruled those "toys." When Chili jumped outside, his head was still turned to the open doorway, so he didn't even know of my presence.

"Uh... Chilli," a voice interjected from inside. "I, er... I think if we're going to make it to the Pokemon Center, we have to be a bit more cautious." Cilan stepped outside and gave Chili a bilious stare.

"Now... Why would you have to go there?" I cut in apathetically.

Cilan's and Chili's heads snapped in my direction, utter surprise on their face.

"H-Hilda! You're here!" Chili stated the obvious. He gave an awkward smile and rubbed the back of his head while he fixed his posture. "Ahaha, _love _the new uniform. _Love _it!" He was trying to switch the topic.

I raised an eyebrow. Chili seemed like the outgoing and fun-loving guy. _'Heck, we can be twins or something. You know, except for the hair, age, and the fact that we've only met once,'_ I thought with a smirk. "So what's this about the Pokemon Center?"

Chili's eyes drifted along the line of grunts behind me while Cilan stared at the Team Plasma emblem on my chest.

_'They're not going to say what,' _I observed. "I'm going to assume you've heard my speech?" I asked, but didn't wait for an answer. I held out my hand, holding out my palm. I gave my winning smile, but my eye twitched a bit in the falseness. "So... Team Plasma would like to liberate your Pokemon, _please_," I requested, speaking through my teeth. _'No... I can't do this, especially to them... But,' _I thought, trying to eye the grunts behind me without moving my head, '_what about those guys?'_

"Unfortunately, we can't do that. The Pokemon Center is but a small distance away. Would you care to join us? I couldn't help but overhear your conversation," a final voice said from inside as he nonchalantly walked out of the building, one hand on his hip and the other in the air trying to do some reasoning. It was Cress. He took some nonchalant glances at his brother, but once he turned to me, his face looked a bit sympathetic.

_'Sympathy..?'_ I thought, befuddled. "Hello, Cress. You probably don't remember me, but I challenged your gym a while ago. But no matter... I've re-introduced myself on that broadcast." I tried to keep my tone leveled and dull, but for some reason, I only sounded teasing.

Cress still looked a bit sad, but he smiled proudly. "I remember_ you_. Don't be ridiculous," he claimed, holding out a palm of his own. "Who would forget a battle as memorable as ours?"

_'Was it really all that memorable..?'_ I wondered, but didn't voice it. _'Ghetsis said that someone told him the same thing.'_

"So, what are you doing?" he asked, a smile still on his face. He was acting as if we were old friends, and admittedly, it was starting to bite on me. It was almost as if he was blind to all of the grunts behind me.

I deadpanned and held out a hand, gesturing to all of the grunts behind me. "Leading a liberation... I believe I've already told you the pros of liberating your pokemon, so," I continued, holding out a palm, "where are your pokemon?"

Cress' face softened. "Look, I know you're doing this for some reason, but I highly doubt it's because you believe in this ideal."

I was surprised at his words and slowly retracted my arm. Before I could ask, he continued again.

"The three of us can help you out of it," he reasoned, gesturing to his other two brothers who nodded in agreement. "And we don't even believe that '_your king_' has Zekrom... That's impossible." I admired how he was keeping cool this whole time.

"Hey! Don't speak to Lady Hilda like that!" a grunt snapped from behind me.

"And don't speak of our Lord N like that!" another grunt chimed after.

I sighed. "Look, I told you not to call me that," I claimed, waving a submissive hand. By now, I knew not one grunt would listen to my request.

"But-"

"HAHA!" Chili boomed with laughter, startling me a bit. He was holding his side and pointing a finger at me. "_'Lady' _Hilda? Man, if anything, you're the opposite!"

I smiled to myself and suppressed a chuckle. I turned to Cress. "Assuming you aren't going to give in, then I'm afraid, I must..." I claimed as I solemnly unclipped Trubbish's pokeball from my belt.

Cress' face intensified and he clenched his teeth. He quickly regained his cool demeanor though. "Very well," he claimed, swiping a strand of hair from his face. "This is a rematch I'm looking forward to." He turned to Cilan. "I recall that she has a Pansage which should be a Simisage by now... Not that I've seen it in battle, but even so..."

Cilan nodded, determined and confident. He turned to Chili. "Uh... You can do this, right?" he asked.

"Hey, no problem!" Chili trilled as he took out two pokeballs from his pocket. "I got this," he claimed with a mock bow.

_'So even in a situation like this, he can still be like that...'_ I observed, a bit jealous. I turned back to the grunts behind me. In the distance, I still saw grunts chasing down people for pokeballs and one or two trainers still resisting. Returning my attention to my own groupies, I used my hand to create an imaginary line and slid it to the left. "You five! Go block the Pokemon Center... They need something from it, and I will not allow that to be carried out!"

"Yes, ma'am!" they recited as they ran out of line and in the direction of the Pokemon Center.

I heard the three brothers gasp behind me. I twisted my head back and saw that they were a bit shocked, but it seemed a little forced. I didn't think that they weren't surprised, but at the same time, I wasn't convinced.

"Cilan, go!" Chili ordered as he stepped up. "You need to get the rest of our pokemon if we're going to make it out of here!"

_'The rest of...'_ I smirked and gave a playful laugh. "So that's it, isn't it?" I asked rhetorically. "You only have your official gym pokemon with you... Not your actual teams." Apparently, my speech was broadcast while they were in a gym battle. _'It's too bad... Now, they don't stand a chance. So now I have to find a way out for them.'_

Cress cringed at my deduction but turned to Cilan and ordered a harsh "go."

Cilan nodded and ran off into the distance.

"You may have ordered some grunts to protect the Pokemon Center, and they'll most likely beat Cilan at this circumstance," Cress admitted coolly as he dug through his pockets, "but I assure you, he'll get our pokemon and we'll run all of you out of our city!" He held up two of his pokeballs as if they were on a tray. "It's a shame that you weren't being a sham when referring to your membership in Team Plasma. We actually kind of liked you," he claimed, gesturing to himself, Chili, and the direction Cilan ran in.

I clenched my teeth in anticipation. _'__If he believed my act, that's good... But now that they do, all their trust for me is gone.' _I truly did believe that if they had their main team, they could take on everyone, including myself while I had my Team Plasma pokemon team. _'Cilan knows he can't reach the Pokemon Center in time, so why... Oh!' _An idea formed in my mind. I tried to resist doing so, but I couldn't; I took my communicator from my belt and held it up.

Chili's fiery spirit died down as he looked at me with sheer curiosity. "Hey, what are you..?"

"This is your superior speaking," I claimed as I pressed down on the button on the communicator.

"My Lady, what are your orders?" a myriad of voices buzzed through.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Chili suppressing a laugh at my given title. "First of all, didn't I tell you all to stop calling me that? And secondly, how many of you are by the Dream Yard?"

I saw Chili and Cress flinch. Chili held up his two pokeballs. "Hey, if we're going to battle-!"

I turned away. _'So that was their plan all along...' _I frowned upon realizing I foiled their plans. While I didn't see the Shadow Triad around, I'd hate for them to tell Ghetsis that I was holding back.

"We are," a few voices claimed. I thought I heard about four or five different ones.

"Well one of you, stop what you're doing. Take your group and head down to the nearby lab," I ordered into the communicator. "There's a scientist named Fennel and an inventor named Amanita. Fennel created a PC powered by dream mist under the supervision of Amanita, its creator. One of the Striaton gym leaders is heading over there now to get their pokemon. Do _not _let him achieve this."

"Yes ma'am!" the same voices replied.

I sighed. "I really wish they'd stop giving me those stupid titles..." I muttered to myself. When I turned around, Chili looked surprised and Cress looked disappointed. "That was your plan, wasn't it? You were going to use Fennel's PC, but give off the impression that you were going to the Pokemon Center."

Cress squinted at me, almost as if he was trying to read my face. "So that's it... You aren't faking this, are you?" He didn't seem angry or sad, but was only stating his findings.

I raised an eyebrow at his stare. "Why would I be? Pokemon deserve to be free."

"Hey! Enough of this, let's battle!" Chili intervened, challenging me with fiery eyes.

"Do you really think you can win?" I asked. "What do you have? Two Lilipups and some pre-evolutionary elemental monkeys?"

"Yeah, well what do you have?" challenged Chili in a mocking tone. "One Lilipup and two other pokemon that are weak to ours?" He knew by now that I had probably caught more pokemon on my journey, but the comeback seemed to amuse him, if only ephemerally.

I shook my head as I also took out Watchog's pokeball. "My main team has been liberated."

Cress looked incredibly surprised but instead of asking questions, he threw a pokeball in the air. "Lillipup!"

Chili smirked upon seeing that the battle was about to start. "You too, Lillipup!"

Two Lillipups simultaneously materialized. They stared at me as if saying, "Your move."

I took a few steps back until I deemed the distance enough for a battle. I heard the footsteps of the five other grunts mirror my steps. "Trubbish and Watchog, you're up." I tossed my pokeballs in the air and caught them. A red light fizzled to life, followed by Trubbish and Watchog themselves.

"Ha! Is that all ya' got?" Chili questioned, eyeing down my pokemon. "This'll be easy!"

"Chili, this isn't the time for your cheeky attitude," scolded Cress.

"Eheheh..." Chili shrunk back, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "I know, I know... Don't take battles for granted," he recited as he held up his hands mock defense.

"So you're ready now?" I asked, unamused. "Trubbish, use poison gas!"

I heard Trubbish grunt in response as he lifted up his hands, conjuring up an ominous purple mist. He brought his arms fourth and the purple mist made its way to the Lillipups.

The Lillipups yipped in surprise. They had tried to dodge, but they had been infected. Now, they were glowing an ominous purple and cringed every other second.

"Use bite!" Chili demanded confidently while pumping a fist.

"Follow up with helping hand!" Cress ordered, pointing at the other's Lillipup.

They both yipped in response as Chili's Lilipup sprang up and started to grow fangs with a dark aura. Cress' stood on its hind legs and giant animated hands materialized above it, clapping.

"Trubbish... Let it bite you."

Chili and Cress looked dumbfounded.

"On your arm," I quickly added as Lillipup was about to make contact.

Trubbish nodded as he brought up his arm to his face just in time to be bitten. He groaned in pain but tried to show as least of a weakness as he could.

"Now... Double slap on the ground," I replied. "And Watchog, you use confuse ray on the other one."

They both complied immediately. Trubbish repeatedly slammed his arm down on the ground. The Lillipup went up and down like a rag doll as its mouth was illuminated by Trubbish's glowing arm. All the while Watchog conjured up an orb of light similar to how Trubbish did his poison gas.

"Lillipup, I'm sure we've done a number on it! Try to finish it up by intensifying your bite!" Chili ordered.

"And Lillipup, don't let that confuse ray get to you!" Cress demanded. "Try to use helping hand when you're in the clear! We'll take down that Trubbish first!"

Both Lillipups yipped in response, wincing in pain. It was clear that Chili's was in more pain though, with an attack to the mouth and being slammed into the ground and whatnot. It bit down on Trubbish harder, causing Trubbish to be a bit more vocal with his pain. It didn't stop Trubbish from attacking though. The other Lillipup was running away from an approaching orb of light.

_'This'll get us nowhere,' _I though unexcitedly. I looked over to Cress, who was watching the light orb chase its Lilipup in anticipation. _'I should get it while they're both distracted...'_ I decided as I chanted out, "Watchog, slam!"

Watchog ran forward and collided with Cress' distracted Lillipup. The two immediately toppled over one another and tumbled a few feet away. When a dust cloud cleared, Watchog was laying down on a clearly exhausted Lillipup, who was trying to get out from under Watchog's death grip. Meanwhile, the glowing light orb dispersed upon missing its target.

I heard Cress gasp. "Try to get out!"

"Don't let it out from under you!" I warned. "Use hyper fang!"

"Lillipup, return!" I heard Chili's voice.

I snapped my head to look at Chili.

"Lillipup, try and use your own bite!" Cress ordered.

During Watchog and the other Lillipup's ordeal, Chili's Lillipup had fainted. Chili called out his Pansear, which looked a little off.

"..." I tried to notice what was wrong, when I heard Cress' Lillipup writhing in agony. I returned my attention to Watchog and Lillipup.

Watchog still had large orange glowing teeth embedded in Lillipup, who was now fainted.

"Stop it!" I snapped. "You've defeated it already!"

Watchog scoffed and reluctantly retracted its teeth. It glowered at me before walking back to the "battlefield."

During this exchange, Cress had ordered out his Panpour. When I compared both the Pansear and Panpour, I realized what was wrong. Pansear seemed to have less energy.

"..." I smiled when I finally deducted what was wrong, a bit proud of myself for figuring it out. "You were just in a gym battle when my speech came on, weren't you?" I asked jocosely, putting a hand on my hip. For a second, I forgot that this battle wasn't a friendly one.

"That means nothing!" Chili retorted with a smirk and did a mock uppercut. "We got this!"

Pansear hollered in agreement, pounding its fists on its chest.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed that Lillipup's bite did quite a number on Trubbish. "Return," I ordered as I held up Trubbish's pokeball. I unclipped Scraggy's from my belt and ordered him out.

"A Scraggy?" Chili asked, dumbfounded. "Why didn't you use that first?!"

I shrugged. "Because the easy way out's no fun."

Chili furrowed his brows, trying to decipher what I just said before booming with laughter and holding his sides. "You're a riot! Maybe we should spar sometime!" Before I could correct him, realization hit him. "Oh, wait."

I thought I saw Cress shake his head when my communicator emitted some static. I held it up. "Yes, what is it?"

"We have restrained the gym leader Cilan at that lab you told us about," a female grunt reported.

"Did you take _both _of his pokemon?"

"Yes."

"Good..." I rewarded.

Cress and Chili tensed up upon hearing our conversation.

"What about Fennel and Amanita?"

"They are here as well."

"Now, keep them in sight. I'd say escort them back to the gym for house arrest, but I'm in the middle of something," I explained. "Watch them until I get there."

"Yes, ma'am!"

I sighed as I put down my communicator. _'Are they ever going to stop with the titles?'_ I took another look at Chili and Cress. "Look around you. Do you really want to make your pokemon faint before we liberate them?"

Chili's confidence seemed to die down as he straightened his posture.

"You know you won't win," I stated the obvious. _'Hopefully, they'll give in... I forgot my berries at home, and they'll have nothing to heal these guys with.'_

Both of them looked down as they wordlessly returned their pokemon to their pokeballs.

I frowned. _'Sure, that's what I was hoping, but I thought at the very least that they'd try... Yet again, it's an automatic loss. Perhaps they just care more about their pokemon than I do mine...'_ I thought, a bit disappointed in myself. I walked over and held out my palms, to which they reluctantly dropped their pokeballs in. None of us would look each other in the eye. _'Now... How am I going to save these pokemon?'_

When I turned around, the five remaining grunts were staring at me in awe.

"You... Come here," I commanded a grunt that was holding a metal picnic basket.

"R-Right!" he replied as he fumbled a bit to get to my side.

_'Think!' _I scolded myself as the grunt opened the basket. In it were dozens of pokeballs piled up. I didn't even know we passed by that many trainers. _'How can I get away with these pokeballs..?'_ I wondered again as I looked at my gloved hands holding them. '_Wait... That's it!'_

I extended my hand to go inside of the metal picnic basket instead of just dropping them in. I slid the pokeballs under my gloves. Once they sunk to the bottom of my palms, I lightly tapped them against the other pokeballs to make a noise.. I took my hands out and brought them to my sides, trying to hide the bumps that came out of my palms.

_'It seems that I like to hide pokeballs in various articles of clothing,'_ I thought with a chuckle.

The grunt closed the basket and stumbled back to his post in the line of five grunts.

"We're not done here," I warned. "Chili confirmed that he had a gym battle prior to my broadcast. That means a challenger may be close by."

The grunts looked befuddled.

I frowned at their stupidity. "Search the gym for a possibility of a trainer hiding with his or her pokemon," I stated coldly. "It would be the perfect cover. Hiding in a gym? No one would think to look in such a place that obvious."

The grunts' eyes grew as they stuttered things like, "Oh, right!" and, "My apologies!" The ran into the gym, circumventing the three of us. One grunt stayed behind and stood by me.

I heard Cress suppress a gasp and Chili grumble in frustration. When I looked at them, Chili was glaring at me angrily with clenched teeth and Cress looked at me, clearly disappointed. Almost as if he was pleading.

_'So they are hiding a trainer in there...' _I mentally scolded myself for foiling their plans again. I wouldn't allow myself to look at their eyes, so I turned to the grunt. "I'm going to check on the last gym leader at the lab. You make sure to escort these two back into the gym for house arrest."

The grunt saluted and recited a "yes ma'am!" as he ushered the unwilling Chili and Cress back inside the gym.

I sighed in frustration, but I wouldn't let this opportunity go. I was alone without that annoying tail of grunts following me and I could use this time to get some dream mist. Looker may have rejected Professor Juniper's plan, but who's to say that the dream mist can't be used for anything else?

Even without my tail of groupies, I knew that I was still being watched. There were grunts still running around trying to scour the city for pokemon with the curious eyes of some civilians watching me. I didn't even know if the Shadow Triad was following me or not. I still felt a bit uneasy, but I knew that no one was close enough to me to question my actions.

I brought up the communicator and pressed the button to speak. "I trust that you still have the gym leader?" I didn't feel the need to refer to a certain group.

"Yes," replied a voice almost immediately.

"I'm coming over right now. Don't let him out of your sight," I warned as I sprung into a jog. I rounded a few corners and after about five minutes, I found myself standing in front of the Dream Yard. _'This is where I first witnessed Team Plasma... Well, not the first, but the first time I saw them for their true colors.'_

The first time I saw Team Plasma was in Accumula Town. Ghetsis made a speech and N battled me, but at the time, I didn't know N had any ties with Team Plasma. It was at the Dream Yard where I saw grunts physically abusing a helpless Munna. A Musharna chased them away with dream mist, and Professor Fennel took the remains. She powered a whole PC system with it.

Before I could reminisce a bit more, I felt myself being pulled behind a nearby building. "Hey-! What the?!" Despite me being "kidnapped," I didn't sense any kind of danger, so I didn't object.

Before me stood a grunt. We were standing in a back alley, caved in with the walls of two buildings and a fence that blocked out the Dream Yard. "There were too many people resisting this time around!" he proclaimed proudly. His voice was familiar.

_'Looker!' _I deducted. I waited for him to go on.

"On my job, I found a few things! Some of which are for the police, and some of which I think might interest _you_. I'm about the contact the International Police! Unova will be rid of Team Plasma!" he continued confidently. "And it's little admin, too," he added in mockingly, tugging at the collar of his uniform.

Before I could respond, two people materialized by my sides, leading me to believe that one was behind me as well. Looker and I jumped in surprise.

"..." They were silent, only giving Looker a hard stare.

I was too surprised to say anything, as was Looker.

"So... You're the spy that broke into the P2 Laboratory..."

Looker flashed a confident smile as he ripped off his disguise and started to run away in the other direction, but stopped short when he came across a brick wall. "G-Uh oh..."

The Shadow Triad surrounded him, cornering him to the dead end.

I glowered and unclipped some pokeballs from my belt. Looker noticed what I was about to do and sternly shook his head. I objected with my eyes, but he gave me a hard stare. I pouted and crossed my arms.

"... Lord Ghetsis will be pleased to meet you," one of the Shadow Triad claimed as they started to escort Looker out of the alley and to who knows where.

"Wait a second, I-" I tried to intervene, but I stopped when I saw something fall off of Looker. It fell to the ground and went unnoticed by the Shadow Triad, who didn't hear my objection.

Soon, the four of them were out of the alley. I felt relieved yet frustrated at the same time. I walked over to the dropped item and picked it up. It was a piece of paper. Upon inspection, it was just a circle with the words "Nacrene" written under it. There was a second word, but it was smudged. The whole slip of paper seemed to be written by someone.

"Nacrene... That's the next city over..." I muttered to myself. _'Then this is probably saying that the next raid will be there...'_ I crept out from out of the alley. When I looked around, Looker and the Shadow Triad were long gone. I could still see grunts in the distance, but most of them were just being aloof. _'We're almost done then...'_

I made my way to Fennel's lab, which was actually the building that Looker pulled me behind. Once I entered, I saw three grunts guarding the door, who saluted upon letting me enter. I didn't even have to ask where Cilan or the others were; they were standing not too far away. The dream mist powered PC was upstairs, so I assumed they couldn't do anything, much to my dismay.

Fennel beamed upon seeing me, but as soon as her eyes drifted down to the Team Plasma emblem on my vest-like article of clothing, she looked a bit horrified. "Hilda... You..?"

Amanita mirrored her shocked expression.

"I'll take it that you heard the radio broadcast then," I remarked. I turned to the three grunts. "You have both of his pokemon?"

The three of them nodded.

"Well? Where are they?" I questioned, noticing that they didn't have a metal basket.

"The person who collected it left and went back with the group leader," the grunt explained.

I grimaced. _'So much for saving Cilan's pokemon...'_ I took another glance at the two behind me. Cilan looked displeased while Fennel and Amanita waited nervously for my next move. "If I'm here, you know that your brothers lost, right?" I asked Cilan.

Cilan furrowed his brows. "I don't get it... Why are _you _doing this?" Cilan questioned.

_'I'll tell you later,'_ I replied mentally as I turned to Fennel and Amanita. "Take them all to the Striaton Gym for house arrest."

"A-All of them?" a grunt asked nervously.

I turned around and grimaced. "Why of course. She's a _scientist_, and the other one created the PC system. I don't believe that Lord N would like any conspiring, would he?" I started to challenge the three grunts with my eyes. _'Except by shacking them up together, there's bound to be some conspiring...'_ I thought with a smirk. _'Plus, __I need to get everyone out of here if I want to get that dream mist.'  
_

"N-No ma'am!" the same grunt replied as the three of them escorted out the unwilling Cilan, Fennel, and Amanita before even a word could get in.

I sighed with relief once they were gone, an overcoming feeling of guilt washing over me. _'Sulking won't do anything...'_ I decided as I headed upstairs.

Once I saw the PC machine with a capsule of dream mist beside it, I scurried over to the PC and tried to access it, but remembered that I only caught five pokemon. I wanted the first pokemon I caught to be part of my final team for challenging the Pokemon League and decided that I'd help Professor Juniper with her research _after _defeating the champion.

_'Me and my bright ideas...'_ I thought ruefully. '_If only I knew someone else's password...'_

The thought of "hacking" wasn't appealing though. I took off the capsule of dream mist from its holder and the PC machine shut down. I put the capsule in my bag, still intent on somehow going through with Professor Juniper's plan. If some grunts came in and saw me taking it, I could easily make the excuse that I was making sure no one could use the PC. However, I didn't want to hand in the dream mist to any sages, so this was for the better.

When I left the lab, my communicator buzzed. A few Team Plasma grunts were talking about how their sections were done and they were going home. Wherever that was. Did they even have homes?

I decided to kill some time before returning to the Striaton Gym. I made my way to the Pokemon Center not too far away. I was a bit curious to see if Team Plasma would make it into another base. If not, Trubbish took some damage in the last fight, so perhaps I could have him healed.

When I entered, I saw various grunts running around with metal boxes, which they piled up in various places. I assumed that they were preparing for a mass liberation. That, or whatever Team Plasma did with "liberated" pokemon.

A seemingly tired voice interrupted my thoughts. "Huuh..? What are you doing here?"

Alarmed, I turned in the direction of the voice. A few feet away from me, a sage was watching me. His robes and hat were a dark grayish-green. He was old, just like four of the other seven sages that I met.

"Lord Gorm, where do I put the pokemon from the Pokemon Academy?"

"Over there..." Gorm replied, pointing in the direction of a few stacked baskets. Gorm looked back at me, repeating his question with a stare.

"I... Uh... The Trubbish I have needs healing," I explained, unsure if I was actually allowed to be here.

"Very well... Where is it?"

I unclipped Trubbish's pokeball from my belt.

Gorm turned to a grunt that was passing by. "You, there! Heal your admin's pokemon!"

The grunt recited a, "Yes, my Lord," and handed off the boxes he was carrying to another grunt. He then grabbed the pokeball in my open palm and scurried off to the healing machine, where I noticed that Nurse Joy and an assistant Audino was missing.

I turned back to Gorm, but he was already missing. _'Huh... So what do I now..?' _I wondered as I awkwardly fidgeted in place. I looked back down at my hand. _'At least that grunt didn't notice the bumps coming from out of my palms.__'_

A few second later, the grunt came back and dropped the pokeball in my opened hands. He bowed and scurried off back to work.

Seeing no reason to stay, I left the Pokemon Center, still feeling a bit out of place. I took a look around me. While the sky was getting darker, there were still a few grunts out. _'I should kill a bit more time...'_ I decided as I headed for the Dream Yard.

Because I took my time, it must have taken around 10 minutes just to get back. Before I entered, someone else exited. I was a bit surprised to see that it was N.

"Oh, it's you..." N observed. "Were you going into the Dream Yard?"

"Uh... Yeah."

"I see..." he muttered to himself. N turned around and looked back into the Dream Yard. "You know... Humans built that place. But ever since it was abandoned, pokemon made it into their home."

"... So I've heard," I remarked.

"I find that fact a bit uncanny..." N mused to himself. He turned around. "I heard you led the liberation today... I think you did a well job."

"Oh, me?" I asked. _'First complement I've gotten from someone higher up...'_ I scratched the back of my head and looked away. "No, not really... I don't think I did too good." I really didn't. _'In fact... When I think about it, I really didn't do anything. Not that I knew what I was supposed to do, anyway...'_

"On the contrary," N objected. "Far less pokemon trainers resisted than the expected number."

That actually surprised me. "Really?"

N nodded. "According to the Shadow Triad, there were only around seven trainers in the whole city that opposed the idea... Other than the gym leaders, of course."

"Huh..." I muttered, a bit surprised. "I never would've thought."

N turned back to the Dream Yard. "I wonder... Why do the pokemon stay here with people like that so close?"

"Maybe because..." I started hesitantly, "they feel some sort of connection."

"..." N was confused. "A connection..?"

"Yeah... I mean, pokemon probably helped to build up that place," I explained. "When it got all run down, maybe they felt an obligation to it."

"Hmph..." N griped. "That seems quite believable... Humans forcing pokemon to do their work!"

_'Er... That wasn't the point of my assertion,' _I thought, feeling a bit too awkward to voice it.

"This is why I have to separate humans and pokemon!" N continued, looking off into the distance. "Once all of the pokemon are liberated... I'll be sure to create a separate Utopia for pokemon!" N then marched off in the other direction, leaving me to watch his back.

_'Uh... That was a bit odd,'_ I decided. _'Is his presence always that awkward..?'_ Despite that, I couldn't help but feel a bit amused. _'Speaking of N... Where was he this whole time? He showed up the past two times. Or maybe I just missed him...'_ Looking at the sky, I decided that I killed enough time and headed for the Striaton Gym.

* * *

I was a bit curious to see why there weren't any grunts posted outside of the gym, but I didn't complain. I entered the gym. The doors to the gym still felt heavy when I opened them. Instead of hearing the usual "rustle and bustle" of the restaurant, there was silence. I also noticed that they had their curtains down, which were only usually like that when the gym had a challenger.

"Back already, hm..?" an agitated voice asked. "You and your crazy admin already took our pokemon and the trainer's pokemon!"

"Uh... Chili, I don't think it's a grunt..."

"Then... Who is it?" a third voice asked.

The curtain opened up revealing the three of them standing there. Uncomfortably, might I add. Upon seeing me, Chili's face scrunched up, Cilan looked away and awkwardly scratched the back of his head, and Cress raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Where's Fennel and Amanita..?" I asked awkwardly, unsure of how to start the conversation.

"They hit the sack early," Chili spat shortly.

"..."

"..."

I scratched the back of my head. _'This is a lot more awkward than I had thought it would be.' _Deciding to just go for what I came here for, I started digging in my gloves to get out the minimized pokeballs. They seemed to be stuck at around the wrist area, so my face scrunched up as I tried to slide them out.

During the same time, Cress started reciting his harangue. "I thought you were something special... No one would've ever thought Team Plasma would go to do something this dirty played! But _you_? At the very least, I thought you would've fought to stop them! But you _lead _them!"_  
_

Chili and Cilan nodded through the whole thing, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Finally getting all four pokeballs out, I started walking towards them.

"We were rooting for you! Some champion you turned out to be! Team Plasmas aren't good people! This isn't the way to power, Hilda! This is-"

Once I reached them, I held out the four pokeballs I was able to save, making Cress stop haranguing and his brothers stop nodding. "Here... This was all I was able to save," I admitted deplorably.

"W-What... Is this?" Cilan asked.

I sighed, disappointing in myself. "Sadly, nothing that concerns you. I have the pokemon that Cress and Chili used to battle me."

Chili and Cress cautiously took the pokeballs from my palm, almost as if my hands made up a mouse trap.

I turned around to leave, but Chili interrupted.

"But... Why?" he asked suspiciously.

I turned around. "As you said... 'Team Plasmas aren't good people.' If I could fight against them, I could," I admitted under my breath.

"Then why?" Cress questioned, still staring at the pokeballs in his hand.

"I don't know if either of you two remember, but you battled my friends around the same time I battled Cress," I adressed Chili and Cilan. "Their names are Cheren and Bianca."

"Oh, I remember Bianca!" Chili chimed in. "A bit quaint there."

"And I, Cheren."

I sighed. "I don't know what Team Plasma did to them, but they did something..." I admitted somewhat reluctantly. "One of the seven sages, ah... They're kinda like a head council, threatened to do something more."

"Do what?" Cress asked curiously.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I don't even know what they did the first time." I sighed. "I don't even know where they are! I wasn't even able to help!"

"That must be rough..." Chili commented.

I shook my head. "Thing is, that's no excuse. I'm ruining it the greater good for just two people." I took a deep breath to try and calm myself down. "Do you _see _how many trainers and pokemon got separated today?"

The three looked like they were trying to think of a response, but couldn't find one.

"Before they were, ah... Punished?" I started, "We were building up some kind of 'resistance,'" I explained, air quoting the word "resistance."

The three of them looked greatly interested in what I had to say.

"You see, Team Plasma already took over Nuvema Town and Accumula Town. In fact, this is the first main city that they went after," I explained. "The three of us, along with both of the Professor Junipers, started conspiring about how to run Team Plasma out of town."

"Did anything work?" Cress inquired.

I shook my head. "We didn't initiate any plans yet," I admitted. "There was also an international police spy that we exchanged our findings with, but he got caught today."

"So... What plans did you have in mind..?" Cilan asked.

"Only one so far," I admitted. I took out the capsule of dream mist from my satchel. "Professor Juniper, ah... The younger one, had an idea regarding this."

"You stole Fennel's dream mist!" Chili jokingly implicated as he pointed an accusing finger.

I smirked. "I'm already a criminal. I might as well go all the way," I remarked. "Speaking of that, I only got this admin position because N took an interest in me for some reason... Cheren and I thought this might be a good thing. You know, a guy on the inside and 'top secret information' and whatnot." I followed up with a sigh and a frown. "But sadly, there were a lot of flaws in this plan," I clarified, pointing at the capsule of dream mist.

"Then... We'll have to think of another one," Cress suggested with a smirk.

I let the surprise show on my face. "You'd still work with me after everything I did today?"

"Well, of course!" Chili exclaimed as if the answer was obvious. "If I was in the same situation as you, with my brothers on the line, I probably would've done the same thing!"

Cress and Cilan firmly nodded to confirm that they had the same feelings.

"Team Plasma, with or without you, would've tried to take over Striaton City anyway," Cilan remarked.

I felt a warm smile creeping onto my face. "In that case, you'll need to train your pokemon," I explained. "After all... We'll need them to fight the good fight." I dug into my satchel and took out the HM for surf and gave it to Cress. "I don't know if you'll use it, but I assume you _might _want to for your Panpour and Stoutlands, that is if you're able to train your Lillipups to that level."

"So what's the plan, _Lady_ Hilda?" Chili asked, a playful smirk on his face.

I scowled at my title. "Look, I don't even know why they call me that. It's weird."

Chili shrugged, a smug grin still implanted on his face. "But seriously, do you have _anything _in mind?"

"Hm..." I ruminated on a few ideas, but came up with nothing. "No, nothing momentarily," I admitted. "Though... Before that international policeman spy got captured, he dropped me a piece of paper." I got out that slip of paper that Looker gave me and handed it to Chili. "The second word is smudged. All that I could make out is a giant circle with the word 'Nacrene' under it. He said that it would be something that I'm interested in, but I don't get it."

The three brothers leaned in to get a better view of the note. They all let out a sound that resembled "hmm..." while they inspected it.

"Uh... Is it because Team Plasma is going to go to Nacrene City next?"

"That's what I thought," I confirmed, "but I would've thought that without the help of this note. Also... That spy gave it to me and said it might interest me, so I don't think that's it."

"I guess we'll just have to find out tomorrow then," Chili suggested with a nonchalant shrug.

"About your pokemon... I'd be careful," I warned. "You're already under house arrest, so I don't know what the next step of punishment is." I slipped the capsule of dream mist back into my satchel.

"We'll keep that in mind," Chili assured me, pointing to his head. "But, just one question," he continued, pointing at me.

"Alright."

"Does this N guy really have a Zekrom?"

I nodded. "I have no idea how, though."

"So you've seen it!"

That was when realization hit me. _'I've never seen N's Zekrom... But I know he has one.'_

"Huh..?" Cilan wondered. "You never seen it?"

I shook my head. "Not personally, but Cheren and Bianca did. You see, when Team Plasma came to my town, I escaped just in time."

"So you _do _have your pokemon?" asked Cress.

I nodded. "So did Cheren and Bianca at one point, but one day they were training and they were caught."

Cress rested his chin on his knuckle. "That's unfortunate..." He let out a sigh. "Do you know where the pokemon went?"

I shook my head. "No... At the time, I wasn't 'recruited.' I can only hope that they actually liberated them." I looked away. "By the way... I don't think you should tell Fennel and Amanita about me."

"Why not?" pried Chili.

"I don't think they'd take the news as _'well' _as you did," I explained, air quoting "well."

"Well, okay..." Cilan replied unsurely. "So what are you doing now?"

"Once I leave, I'm hoping to get in a training session with my pokemon," I explained. "Ah... My actual team."

"Sounds good!" remarked Chili. "Come back when you got a plan, _Lady _Hilda."

I frowned. "If I wasn't short on allies, you'd be on your way to the guillotine."

* * *

**Borderline Saga : End**

* * *

This took almost a week to get out... My bad. It looks like my updates are getting slower.

The encounters with N and Looker were so short because I was trying to imitate how they would happen in the games. They mostly talk to themselves for less than a minute before excusing themselves out of the scene, lol.

Just so you know, Hilda does go out to train with her pokemon, but I'm not writing another scene about it.

Next chapter, I'm writing this chapter in the perspective of Ghetsis and Cress. I choose Cress because that's the one Hilda battles because she chose Tepig. This won't happen for every raid that happens, just the ones with important information.

This applies only if I choose to continue the story. I know I've said this a few times in the past, but I'm yet again considering stopping the story short. I do enjoy writing it, but my updates are pretty slow. Also, I don't get many reviews, making me believe that a lot of people don't like the story. I know a handful of you told me that you like it, but still... Anyway, thanks for all the support that you guys gave. I'm not saying that I'm going to stop it, just that I'm considering it.

Also, when I read the whole story back, it just seemed to be filled with oneshots. I know the actual plot is starting now, but I'm not so content with this chapter. The idea of this story seemed a lot more better in my mind, but now that it's down on paper, I'm pretty unsure.

Kawaiijoltic : Thanks, I'm pretty glad to know that you liked some of my previous chapters. If their impression of "Admin Hilda" wasn't enough in this chapter, the next one has Cress' POV, so hopefully that'll clear up any possible inquiries.


	12. Unfathomable Reiteration

**Chapter 12 : Unfathomable Reiteration**

* * *

_Cress_

* * *

"Welcome to the Striaton Gym," Cilan welcomed.

"I'm Chili! I light things up with fire pokemon!" Chili introduced flamboyantly as he jumped out from behind Cilan's back and to his side.

"I'm a water-type specialist, and my name is Cress," I introduced as I walked out from behind Cilan's back and to his side. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"And my name is Cilan. I like grass-type pokemon."

The challenger was looking at us with awe. She seems to just have started her pokemon journey. I recognized her as one of the students from the training school.

_'How come we always get the inexperienced ones..?'_ I wondered. _'No matter... There's a challenger here, and I will give my utmost respect.'_

"W-Wait a s-second," the girl stuttered, stepping back. "Do I have to face _all _of you? I-I don't think I'm ready for that!" Horror was in plain view on her face.

"Now, wait a second," I sheepishly tried to calm her down, putting up my hands to assure her that it was alright.

Cilan tried to explain why there were three of us, but clearly his nervous demeanor was getting to him."Um, you see... As for why the three of us-"

"Oh, come on!" Chili griped while shooting a glare at Cilan. "You do this every time! Take a whole-lot of time to state one simple fact." Chili turned to the new trainer, who was still beyond shock, and gave her his most winning smile. "You only have to battle one of us!"

The girl visually calmed down, but still looked uncomfortable under Chili's gaze.

"Uh... Hey, Chili," Cilan cut in.

"I think you're scaring her," I suggested as I gestured a hand to her, finishing Cilan's sentence.

"Huh? Me?!" he asked, baffled as he stepped back with surprise clearly on his face.

"Mhm," I hummed as I nodded my head. _'Ignorant as always,' _I thought with a sly smirk.

"So, uh... Which one of you do I battle?" the girl shyly asked.

I smiled. _'Finally. Now we're getting somewhere...' _I gave a small bow as a waiter would in a restaurant. Not that I wasn't one, but at the moment, I wasn't. "All of us would be honored to battle you, but we base this off of your first pokemon," I explained. "Now... What was your starter pokemon?"

"Mine?" she asked again, just to be sure. Her eyes widened, signifying her anxiety. "Mine was a Snivy and-"

"AWESOME!" Chili boomed, jumping forward again and scaring the girl. "That means you're versing me!"

"W-What?!" she asked, completely baffled. "Shouldn't I be battling C-Cress?" she asked hopefully. "Or even C-Cilan?"

"Allow me to explain," I interjected kindly. _'Better me than Chili...' _I added in mentally. "You battle the brother who has a type advantage over your starter."

The girl looked like she was on the verge of tears.

_'Oh my... I didn't say anything wrong, did I?' _I wondered worriedly. When I looked to the side, I saw that Cilan was just as nervous as I was. Meanwhile, Chili was completely oblivious to the girl's feelings and was in his own world, marching in excitement.

"Uh... You see, by battling the one with a type advantage over you, you gain more knowledge," Cilan explained, putting up his hands to assure her that it was okay. "That way, you don't rely on types alone."

"But if you really don't want to battle Chili, that's understandable."

"H-Hey! What the heck, Cress?" Chili demanded, running up to me.

I gave a nonchalant shrug. "You're clearly scaring her."

"U-Uh... No, that's okay," the girl nervously cut in. "I'll battle Chili."

Chili's face went from angry to overjoyed in a second. "Alright!" he exclaimed, pumping a fist. "Let's get started then!" Chili snapped his fingers, and all of the sudden, the floor started spreading apart, revealing a battleground. A television screen lowered from behind us to display the battle information. The ground hummed in a vibration as the floor clicked into place.

"W-Woah!" the girl exclaimed. "H-How did you do that?!"

Chili winked and put on a sly smile. "I'm magical."

I sighed. "That, or the waiters and waitresses over there took his signal and pressed a button," I apathetically corrected as I gestured a hand to the front of the gym.

The waiters and waitresses bowed at us, and with their job done, they left the gym.

Chili frowned. "Well, if you want to think of it that way..." Chili walked over by the television screen. "Now, just come over here and lay the pokemon you're going to use to battle onto the scanner."

"And your Trainer ID too," Cilan added in.

"Oh, r-right!" the girl stuttered as she ran up the stairs and scanned her one pokeball and her ID.

The television lit to life revealing both Chili's portrait on one side and the girl's on the other. Chili's face had two pokeball icons under it with two empty boxes, and as expected, the girl's had one.

The girl looked up at the television in awe as she took enough steps back to the trainer's square. Cilan and I moved out of the way to spectate the battle, sitting at a stray dining table.

"Just so you know, I don't go easy on anyone!" Chili warned in a teasing fashion as he dug out the two of his gym pokemon.

"I-I don't expect you to!" the girl called back as she held up her pokeball. "Go, Snivy!"

A red light came from out of her pokeball and a Snivy materialized a few feet away from her. "Snii!"

"Alright!" Chili exclaimed in excitement. "Now you're up, Pansear!"

I sighed and turned to Cilan.

"Pansear already..?" Cilan inquired. He wasn't surprised, but confused. "He usually starts off with Lillipup."

I crossed my arms. "You'd think he'd take it a little easy on a newcomer." I turned back to the battle. Chili had already released his Pansear. _'He wouldn't use his Pansear so quickly unless he deemed the match an automatic win...'_

"You can have the first move," Chili offered.

The girl looked nervous for a second but quickly regained her composure and nodded. "O-Okay! Snivy, use leech seed!"

"Snii!" Snivy growled as it swapped thin air. Seeds materialized and immediately sped in the direction of Pansear.

Chili's eyes widened for a second, but then he smirked. "Pansear, dodge it!"

Pansear tried to dodge it, but it was a second too late. The seeds embedded themselves in Pansear's skin and dissolved.

"Hahaha!" laughed Chili. "I'll admit, I didn't see that coming! But now, you're in for it!"

The girl gulped but didn't let any fear show on her face. "Growth!"

Snivy complied by sitting in a fetal position and started glowing.

"Before it's done, use incinerate!"

Snivy's eyes shot open.

"Dodge it, quick!" the girl ordered hurriedly.

Snivy complied and jumped out of the way, but it was hit by the tip of a fire from the incinerate attack. The Snivy winced and groused, but one second later, it was visibly better.

_'It must be the leech seed,'_ I deducted. _'It's as if Snivy hadn't taken any damage...' _I looked over to Pansear. _'He doesn't seem effected in any way, but technically, he's the only one that even took damage.'_

"Now leaf storm!"

"Incinerate!"

Snivy growled and Pansear hollered, both rising their shaking arms up in power. The attacks were carried out at the same time, a montage of flames and leaves swirling on both sides of the battlefield. To no surprise, after both attacks were done, Snivy had fainted. Though it was notable that Pansear took a good amount of damage himself.

The girl sulked as she timidly recalled Snivy. "Oh, I guess I'm just not ready for a pokemon journey..."

"Hey! Don't say that!" Chili snapped with a coy smile on his face. "You did a great job, considering you used a grass type against a fire type!"

The girl looked shocked to hear that.

"It's true," I agreed. "Look at his Pansear," I suggested, gesturing my hand. "While he may not be close to fainting, you've visibly done a number on him."

The girl looked at me quizzically, but nodded, understanding my every word.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how you raise your Snivy," Cilan chimed in.

"So, as soon as you train your Snivy or catch another pokemon," Chili started, "I expect you to be back here!"

"B-But..."

"Enough of that," I adduced. "Like we said, our gym is this way to teach people not to rely on types alone." It was perfectly acceptable to rely on types, but not to completely depend on them. "Actually... Even though you didn't use Snivy by choice, you remind me of a trainer."

The girl looked at me in anticipation.

"She had a Pansage, but didn't use it at all during our battle," I explained. "She used a Lillipup. She told me that if she just cut to the chase and used Pansage against my Panpour, that would ruin all the fun."

"Those are words that I can agree with!" Chili bellowed. "Is she that girl with the ponytail?"

I nodded. "She also told me that she didn't want to be completely reliant on typings... That's one of the main reasons that we run the gym the way we do," I continued. _'Though I will admit... I never saw it that way until she pointed it out to me...' _Ever since I met her, I've been trying a bit harder as a gym leader. I didn't know why, though.

"As a fellow grass-type user, I can honestly say that your Snivy has potential," Cilan interrupted.

"You remember what I said, don't you?" Chili asked with a sly facial expression. "You'll come back, right?"

The girl looked befuddled, but eventually our words sunk in. She smiled and looked Chili in the eyes. "Thank-"

Suddenly, the television screen behind Chili emitted a loud buzzing sound as the visuals dissolved into static. It shocked the four of us, and all of our heads and attention snapped in the direction of the screen.

"What's going on..?" wondered Cilan.

A few seconds later, the picture cleared up. In the middle of the screen was a familiar girl's face. She wore a puffy black hat with an "X" on it. Behind her were two lines of Team Plasma grunts, still in their own puffy knight's outfits. There were a few flags waving around in the background. I guessed that they were in a Pokemon Center.

_'Is that... Hilda?' _I thought worriedly. I stood up from my seat to get a better look at the screen. Cilan followed my actions, and the three of us started walking to Chili's position to get a better look at the screen. _'No, that can't be... Is she a hostage or something?' _I inquired. _'She looks like she doesn't want to be there...'_

"Hey, it's ponytail girl!" Chili exclaimed with a grin as he pointed to the television screen. His tone implied that he was completely oblivious to the fact that she _may _be mixed in with them. "Wonder what she's doing with a bunch of Team Plasmas."

"I think we're about to find out..." Cilan offered, anxiety in his voice.

"Hello. I am Hilda, an admin of Team Plasma."

_'So much for not being mixed in with them,' _I thought, narrowing my eyes. _'But there's still something about her... It just doesn't seem right.'_

"Now, I'm sure you all know by now, but Team Plasma supports pokemon liberation," she affirmed, giving a hard stare at the television screen. "Now why would such a thing need to be supported? Your Pokemon..." she started solemnly. "You make them battle until they faint. You make them work for you. You keep them in these palm-sized balls until you actually have a need for them. You are taking away their freedom," she accused angrily. She glowered at the camera, but it was as if her anger wasn't directed towards us.

_'Is it... Is she angry at herself?' _I wondered. I turned to look at Chili and Cilan, but they didn't appear to have the same suspicions as I did.

"Are you still in denial that pokemon are suffering under the control of trainers?" she challenged, a sadistically mocking tone in her voice. "Well, I'd like to inform you that our King N has befriended the almighty Zekrom."

The four of us gasped at the same time as we exchanged glances.

_'That's not possible... I thought Zekrom hasn't been seen for decades... Maybe even centuries,'_ I inquired disbelievingly as I continued to watch the broadcast.

"Zekrom has accepted our King N's ideals and is in agreement with it. Pokemon should..." Hilda paused and looked at something above her that was off camera. She cringed, but hid it well. "They shouldn't be with humans," she finished. "If any of you actually care for your pokemon, you will give them to a member of Team Plasma to liberate," she warned.

"That's ridiculous!" Chili exclaimed with balled fists. His grin was gone and now his eyes shot daggers.

"I-I don't know..." the gym challenger warily replied.

I raised an eyebrow at her. _'Is she believing this?' _I turned to Cilan. "Did you catch what she just did?" I asked him, hoping that he also saw that she looked off screen. _'Maybe... Maybe she's being threatened.'_

"Uh... What do you mean?" he asked without diverting his gaze from the screen.

"Shh!" silenced Chili.

"If not, do you dare say that you are going against the ideals of our King N, the beholder of the legendary Zekrom?" challenged Hilda. "To sum things up... Humans torture pokemon, and if you really care for your alleged 'partners,' you will let Team Plasma set your pokemon free. That, or do you dare oppose ideals of the legendary Zekrom?" she asked mockingly.

"No way..." Cilan muttered.

"Yeah," sighed Chili. "Ponytail girl's a she-knight?"

"A she what?" asked the challenger, clearly befuddled.

Chili ignored the gym challenger's question and turned to me. "She was pretty alright when I met her."

I held up a finger and continued to look at the screen. _'There's still something not right... I highly doubt that the Hilda I met would agree to this... After all the things she said after our battle...'_

"Team Plasma would like to thank you for your support," finished Hilda while she deadpanned at the camera.

"PLASMAA!" the grunts behind her roared as Hilda cringed a bit and the transition went dead.

The TV flickered back to its victory shot of Chili, leaving the four of us to stare at the screen as if we were dead.

"Did that just happen..?" Chili asked to break the silence.

I hummed an "mhm," but followed up with, "But I don't believe it."

"W-What do you mean?" the girl asked.

"That was the trainer I was talking about," I explained, "and I don't know if any of you noticed, but it appeared that she was most uncomfortable up there."

"Huh?" asked Chili. "What do you mean by that?"

Everyone's eyes was on me.

"Just... Her overall facial expression and mood," I explained with a shrug. "She looked like she didn't want to be there. Almost as if she was unwilling"

"So what you're saying is..." Cilan urged.

"To put it short? I think she was coerced."

"We know you admire her since the day of your battle," Cilan reasoned, "but you have to face it... She's a part of Team Plasma."

"I'm not being in denial," I replied casually. _'Or perhaps I am and refuse to see it...'_ I considered. _'No__. I know what I saw. She saw something off screen that made her wince... But what was it?' _I crossed my arms. "I truthfully believe that she wouldn't join Team Plasma."

"Alright, I don't mean to interrupt over here, but did you guys hear what she said?" Chili interrupted in an "oh-so-graceful" fashion. "She said to hand in our pokemon to Team Plasma!"

"S-So, we're going to do it?" asked the challenger.

"Huh? No! Of course not!"

"B-But... What about everything she said?" asked the challenger timidly. "Are we really torturing our pokemon?"

'_Are we?' _I considered. _'No,' _I decided as I shook my head. "That's not the point... There's no Team Plasma grunt in sight," I pointed out as I looked out the window a distance away.

"That means they're coming..." finished Cilan. "And all we have is our gym pokemon..!"

"Alright, a challenge!" exclaimed Chili excitedly.

"This isn't the time," I scolded. "We have to go to the Pokemon Center and get the rest of our pokemon."

"Um..." Cilan objected shyly. "That wouldn't be a good idea... Isn't that where the most attention would be?"

"Hm..." I hummed as I rested my chin on my knuckle. _'He has a point...'_

"What about Fennel?" Chili suggested proudly.

I smiled confidently and nodded. "Yes, that'll do. If Team Plasma is here, there will most definitely be a fight."

"A-A fight?!" the challenger asked fearfully. She looked down at her pokeball.

"Oh, that's right... Your Snivy fainted," I recalled somewhat sheepishly. "In that case, I think that it's best that you stay here."

"W-What?"

Cilan nodded in agreement. "You're in no condition to protect Snivy at the moment. Trust us when we say that Team Plasma is no good."

The challenger shrunk back a little but nodded. "Okay... But that lady... She said-"

"That's just a bunch of phooey," Chili argued as he waved a submissive hand. "But seriously, wait in here. They'd never expect anyone to hide in a _gym_."

The girl looked like she wanted to object and throw in the towel, but she nodded, clearly too timid to reject Chili's suggestion.

"You two go get a head start," I offered. "I'll help her hide."

Cilan and Chili nodded as they jogged for the front door while the challenger and I watched their backs.

"On our way, we could have some fun," tempted Chili as he nudged Cilan.

Cilan turned his body slightly and started rubbing the nudged spot. It didn't hurt, but it was the gesture that counted. "We should set our priorities straight..."

"Aww, come on!" Chili urged further, swinging his arm around Cilan's shoulder and pulling him close. "Grunts are morons! You've seen 'em, I've seem 'em... What's a little Patrat going to do? We're _gym_ _leaders_."

"Look," Cilan asserted a little less nervously. "I really think we should just concentrate on getting our actual teams."

The challenger and I looked at each other biliously. I ushered her to the front, following my brothers from a short distance.

Finally, my brothers made it to the door. Chili kicked it open and excitedly jumped out. "I'm telling you, let's knock some heads!" he exclaimed with balled fists. His back was turned to me so I couldn't see his face; I could only imagine the cheeky fleer he most likely wore.

"Uh... Chilli," Cilan rejected again, stepping outside with him. "I, er... I think if we're going to make it to the Pokemon Center, we have to be a bit more cautious."

"Now... Why would you have to go there?" a third voice asked; she was clearly not interested. It sounded familiar, and I was quickly able to identify it as Hilda's

My mouth went agape, but only slightly. _'They're here already..?' _I turned to the challenger, who was trying to take a peek outside. "Over here..!" I whispered harshly as I took a hold of her shoulders and ushered her behind the counter by the front door.

"H-Hilda! You're here!" I heard Chili sheepishly trill. "Ahaha, _love _the new uniform. _Love _it!"

I rolled my eyes and scoffed in amusement at Chili's attempts at stalling and switching the topic. I couldn't help an amused smile from creeping on my face. Upon remembering what I was doing, the grin was wiped off of my face. I released my hold on the girl's shoulders and gestured for her to duck down. "Just keep your head low if you don't want to be separated from your Snivy," I warned in a hiss.

She nervously nodded her head and reluctantly ducked down.

While I hid the girl, I eavesdropped on their conversation. Chili and Cilan said nothing about our plans to reach Fennel's lab. Hilda only requested that they hand in their pokemon.

Finally content with how the girl was hidden, I stood up and approached the now opened gym doors. When I stepped out, she was smirking, apparently proud of herself for something. However, the fleer was off of her face as soon as she took a glance behind her. Unfortunately, there was a strong light behind her, and I couldn't see what she was looking at.

Deciding to break the silence, as I walked out I nonchalantly cut in. "Unfortunately, we can't do that. The Pokemon Center is but a small distance away. Would you care to join us? I couldn't help but overhear your conversation." I didn't bother to look at her for a response and instead turned to my brothers; they were trying to suppress scowls. _'At the very least, they didn't say anything.' _I returned my gaze to Hilda and tried to find some kind of resentment in her eyes. I wanted to convince myself that she wasn't doing this on her own will.

Hilda looked at me quizzically, but in the blink of an eye, her face was deadpan. "Hello, Cress. You probably don't remember me, but I challenged your gym a while ago. But no matter... I've re-introduced myself on that broadcast."

I raised an eyebrow. _'Forget her..? She motivated me to keep being a gym leader in my lowest time!' _I smiled at the memory. "I remember_ you_. Don't be ridiculous," I joshed as I extended an affable hand. "Who would forget a battle as memorable as ours?" For a second, I forgot why she was even here. "So, what are you doing?" I asked. _'At the very least... I may be able to stall a bit while one of them sneaks off.' _I shifted my eyes to my brothers for a split second. _'Hopefully they'll get the hint.'_

Hilda seemed unamused at my amicable advances. She glanced left and right before holding up her hand and gesturing to something behind her.

I followed her hand and pursed my lips upon seeing a dozen or so Team Plasma grunts. _'They're following her... So are they making sure she's doing this?'_

"Leading a liberation... I believe I've already told you the pros of liberating your pokemon, so..." Hilda took her gestured hand and pointed it in my direction. "Where are your pokemon?"

I could feel my face forming an expression that seemed sullen. "Look, I know you're doing this for some reason, but I highly doubt it's because you believe in this ideal."

Hilda looked baffled at my response. She put down her hand and looked at me in expectancy; perhaps she was waiting for me to continue?

"The three of us can help you out of it," I reasoned, gesturing to my brothers. When I took a quick glance, they were both nodding, but Cilan sent me a glare that accused me of just being in denial. I sent him a scowl, but quickly diverted my attention back to Hilda. "And we don't even believe that '_your king_' has Zekrom... That's impossible," I added casually with a shrug.

"Hey! Don't speak to Lady Hilda like that!" a grunt snapped from behind her.

"And don't speak of our Lord N like that!" another grunt chimed after.

_'Huh..? 'Lady?'' _I thought, a bit confused. _'Does that mean that she...' _I looked over at Chili and Cilan to see if they had the same idea in mind.

Cilan nodded, indicating that we had the same thoughts. While he did this, I heard Hilda speaking to a grunt, but I couldn't make out the words.

Chili on the other hand had his cheeks puffed out while wearing an amused smile. Before I could stop him, he already did it. He started laughing rather loudly, all the while pointing a finger at Hilda. "_'Lady' _Hilda? Man, if anything, you're the opposite!" he accused jocosely.

Cilan and I vigilantly shot our heads back in Hilda's direction, waiting to see what she'd do.

I was bewildered when I saw a shy smile. I blindly extended my hand to Cilan, but before I could point out what she did, she spoke again.

"Assuming you aren't going to give in, then I'm afraid, I must..." she claimed as she gloomily took a pokeball from her belt which I only just noticed.

I felt my eyes arch in disappointment, but quickly covered it up by flashing a smirk. _'She must be serious about this... I wonder...' _I mildly shook my head and looked at her with determination. "Very well. This is a rematch I'm looking forward to." I diverted my glance to my two brothers and clenched my teeth in anxiety. _'But first... We have to get our pokemon,'_ I thought nervously.

* * *

_Ghetsis_

* * *

I arrived in Striaton City soon after all of the grunts did.

My destination was the Pokemon Center. It was an order of mine that I assigned to Gorm; he was to take it over immediately. With Zinzolin conquering Aspertia City, Flocessy Town, and Virbank City some distance away, I put the responsibilities of a liberation leader in Gorm's hands.

So far, he has done nothing to displease me. I wanted it to stay that way, so I refused to speak to him unless I had a question. I skipped right to my own personal request; to put that girl N takes a liking to in some sort of authoric position.

The Shadow Triad was following her around with a security camera, and in all honesty, I wasn't too sure if she knew she was being followed or not. I was reluctant to admit it, but I was quite impressed with the girl's skills.

She effectively came up with a strategy to block the city in while she herself approached the gym leaders. I was half expecting her to make her treacherous move then, but she didn't. Instead, she foiled the gym leaders' plans on more than one occasion and mercilessly defeated them; all the while breaking their spirits, which was my original intention of assigning her. It appeared that she was determined to protect what was dear to her, no matter what the consequences were.

I smirked. _'A poweful tool has made its way to my shed.'_ My thoughts were cut short when she sent the five remaining grunts to the gym, leaving her alone. At this point, I was almost positive that she would make a move. To my surprise, she was threatened instead.

Through the fuzzy feed, I was able to make out her being pulled into an alley, something which she did not expect. I narrowed my eyes as the Shadow Triad followed the culprit into the alley.

"On my job, I found a few things!" the grunt proudly proclaimed.

_'Oh really... Don't tell me they're pokeballs, are they?' _I wondered sarcastically. _'Foolish grunt... I better remember his face. He should know better than to bother his superiors with such trivial things.__'_

"Some of which are for the police, and some of which I think might interest _you_."

I raised an amused eyebrow. _'The police, huh..?' _I leaned in to the screen, completely taken.

"I'm about the contact the International Police! Unova will be rid of Team Plasma!" he continued confidently.

I smirked. _'It appears that we have a spy,' _I thought, amused. _'Two spies... N will be glad to hear this.'_ I could just imagine his crestfallen face. It would convince him even further that humans were brutal liars.

"And it's little admin, too," he added in mockingly.

I grimaced a little. _'No, she's clean... It's a shame,'_ I concluded, '_yet at the same time, she's proven to be useful. And I still need her for the retrieval.'_

On cue, the Shadow Triad revealed themselves. It was evident that the spy nor Hilda expected to be followed when they flinched in surprise.

"So... You're the spy that broke into the P2 Laboratory..." the one holding the camera claimed.

The spy flashed a confident smile as he ripped off his disguise and started to run away in the other direction, but stopped short when he came across a brick wall. "G-Uh oh..."

_'For an international spy, he fits the role of an amateur,' _I thought, unamused.

The Shadow Triad surrounded him, cornering him to the dead end. The spy shook his head as if he didn't believe that he was caught.

_'Pathetic,'_ I remarked.

"... Lord Ghetsis will be pleased to meet you," one of the Shadow Triad stated coldly as the three of them escorted the spy from out of the alley.

I closed the transition. They would be coming to me anyway, so there really was no need for me to keep watching.

Deciding to be productive during the wait, I called over Gorm, who practically jumped at being at my side, for I haven't spoken to him the whole day. Almost like a sick puppy.

"Gorm... What do you think of this admin that Lord N picked out?" I asked curiously. "Answer me truthfully."

"Truthfully..." Gorm started out unsurely. "I believe she has done a much better job than Zinzolin could have."

"Is that so?" I asked, amused. Although I agreed, it wasn't the answer that I was expecting. "Why do you think that? Enlighten me."

"Well..." Gorm started nervously. He didn't want to say something that would displease me. "First of all, Zinzolin would've ordered all of the troops straight to the gym... That would give people the time to resent and hide."

I nodded. _'Yes, that's evident.'_

"However, this admin trapped everyone inside," he continued a little more confidently now that he saw my approval. "She _herself_ approached the gym leaders without attracting too much attention."

"Yes, I see... I agree," I confirmed nodding my head. "Now tell me... Do you think that she is conspiring against Team Plasma?" I asked. "I know that you've met her when your plan failed at the Nacrene Museum."

Gorm paled upon being reminded of his failure, but continued to speak anyway. "No, I do not. If she was, she wouldn't have ordered any of her team to guard the Pokemon Center. Nor would she have mentioned the clandestine PC system at all or a challenger hiding in the gym," he explained. "Also... That spy didn't seem to know her. It may be possible that she _is _conspiring and just hasn't met this spy, but I find that highly unlikely."

"What of her abilities?" I asked again. I noted the amount of time that passed. _'I wonder... Did the Shadow Triad lose track of the spy?'_

"She has proven to hold quite the prowess," he answered. "Although... She's has too much of an audacity for her own good."

I recalled how she didn't use the fighting type pokemon against the normal pokemon with the reasoning that it would ruin the fun. I nodded in agreement.

"But if your concern is whether she will betray you or not," Gorm claimed, "I do not think she will... I believe she is fearful of Lord N's Zekrom and of her friends' fates."

I smirked. "Ah, yes, that... Tell me, how is that plan going?"

Gorm looked away. "Not too well... There still hasn't been a-"

The door leading to the room opened revealing the Shadow Triad, uncloaked, with the spy in front.

I diverted my attention away from Gorm and to the spy. I waved a submissive hand and ordered, "Gather preparation with all of the pokemon... The usual routine. You are dismissed," without moving my glance.

I saw Gorm bow from the corner of my eye as he walked out of the room.

"...Lord Ghetsis, you have watched the live feed I presume?"

I nodded. "Now... Tell me, international policeman, what are you going to do now?" I asked. "You're straight in the dragon's lair. Call up your organization," I beckoned.

The spy deadpanned at my mockery but then flashed a confident smirk. "Ha! You may have me, but there are trainers out there with the intent to run you out of Unova!"

"So you're admitting that there are conspirators whom have circumvented the mass collections?"

The spy groused at his mistake, but then smiled proudly again. "Well, these trainers are strong willed! They'll never give in!"

"Are these the trainers from Nuvema Town?"

"Yes, what of it?"

"You are aware that they've been defeated twice," I corrected.

His face was unaffected. "Yes, well one is smart and-"

"One is brainless?"

The spy made a sound resembling a growl due to my interruption. "No matter! They'll never give in!"

"...My Lord, what are your orders concerning this eyesore?" the Shadow Triad member from behind him asked.

The spy stiffened and looked stared out, his face indifferent.

"We still haven't finished our engrossing conversation." I returned my attention back to the spy. "There has been a spy that has infiltrated the P2 Laboratory on Route 17," I informed him.

"Yes, that is correct!" the spy confirmed.

"Are you admitting to being that spy?" I coaxed.

"I never confirmed it was me, _sir_! Oh, I mean _Ghetsis_..." Despite calling me "sir" by accident, the spy didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest.

_'He's an odd one, isn't he?'_ I observed. _'Well, my day was rather dull.'_

The spy patiently waited for me to engage in another dialogue.

"Tell me your name."

The spy smiled proudly. "The name's Looker! International policeman spy," he informed me. "There are two reasons for this. One! As a spy, I look for things."

"So I assumed..."

"Two!" he announced proudly. "I got 'em looks!" he claimed slyly as he winked at me. Upon realizing just who he winked at, he shrunk back and glanced away, muttering, "I have no regrets."

_'A genuinely odd one, indeed,' _I concluded. _'But it appears that he's learned from earlier that he's not supposed to say anything I haven't asked. If he believes that such absurdity will distract me from the topic at hand, he is as moronic as his plan is.'_ I smirked. "If your dimwitted behavior is your attempt at trying to divert my attention, then you are taking me too lightly."

Looker sighed and scratched the back of his head. That aloof look on his face was gone. Apparently, his plan had been to irritate and frustrate me into sending him away. "Just so you know... My mouth is shut."

_'We'll see how solitude will fix that,'_ I thought with a smirk. "I believe that you have passed an abandoned shack whilst sneaking around Route 17?" The question was rhetorical, of course. "No one ventures out to Route 17, and no one will come across you."

Before Looker could respond, the Shadow Triad got the hint and escorted him out.

As soon as the door closed, it opened again. Gorm welcomed himself in. "My Lord?"

"As soon as you are done with preparation, arrange some of your faction for the first inspection in Nuvema and Accumula Town tomorrow," I ordered. "Have them search for any smuggled or clandestine pokemon."

"Unannounced on all living premises?"

I had to restrain myself from rolling my eyes as I gave a stern nod.

"What of the admin's?"

"Whatever you wish," I replied apathetically. "With Zinzolin absent, you will also arrange the liberation taking place in Nacrene City tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" asked a bewildered Gorm. "Why so soon, my Lord?"

I sighed. "We can get away with spreading our influence over small towns such as Nuvema and Accumula, even if one does dole out starter pokemon to the whole region," I explained, bothered by the need to. "However, a main city analogous to Striaton City is guaranteed to catch attention. Therefore, we must spread our influence quickly before any preparation of resentment is withheld."

"I understand," Gorm sheepishly replied. He was embarrassed that I needed to explain it to him.

"Use anyone and any source necessary." Granting him permission to do so wouldn't be putting too much power into his hands. The only people below him were Hilda and the grunts. "Just be sure to finish the inspection prior to the Nacrene City liberation."

Gorm bowed. "Is that all, my Lord?" His tone was leveled, but it was clear that the stress of so many responsibilities was biting at him.

I ruminated on it and nodded. "Yes, you are dismissed. Continue on with what you're doing."

"Understood." With that, he walked out, leaving me in my own solitude once more.

* * *

_Cress_

* * *

She beat us without even batting an eye.

This came as no surprise. She was an experienced trainer battling against some measly gym pokemon. She had new pokemon of her own as well. Apparently, Team Plasma has convinced her to hand in her original team, something which impaired me, if only a bit.

I was hoping that the battle itself would be distracting her from Cilan's target location and the trainer hiding inside, but she was sharp. She foiled both of our plans, all of this while proudly smirking to herself.

_'So she really is dedicated to Team Plasma,'_ I thought, a little disappointed.

"I'm going to check on the last gym leader at the lab," Hilda told the grunt. "You make sure to escort these two back into the gym for house arrest."

"Yes ma'am!" the grunt saluted as he ushered Chili and I into the gym. We didn't even get another word in.

The grunt closed the giant gym doors behind us. We were greeted with the sight of four grunts frantically searching the place. Upon our entrance, they swarmed around us.

"You!" a female grunt accused with a shaky finger. "Our Lady Hilda says that there's a trainer with pokemon in here!"

"Where is the trainer?!" another grunt asserted.

"Heh," I spat as I swiped a stray strand of hair from my face. _'We're not telling you.' _I placed a hand on my hip.

"Mhm, mhm..." Chili murmured, crossing his arms and nodding.

"What's with the weird noises?!" the grunt asked. "Just tell us!"

_'Maybe if we can keep stalling them I can figure out something in the process,'_ I wondered hopefully. "So, this 'Lady Hilda' of yours... Why is she an admin now?"

"Stop trying to change the subject!"

_'Hm... So not all grunts are morons.' _I sighed. "I'll have you know, that particular trainer left not too long ago," I lied casually. "Having no other reason to stay here, may I show you the door out? It's right behind us."

"U-Umm..." a nervous voice interrupted.

My eyes widened. _'It's the girl..!' _I snapped my head in the direction of her hiding place.

She was standing up from behind the counter. "P-Please... Liberate my Snivy," she requested timidly, holding out her pokeball. "I really don't want him to keep suffering..."

The grunts diverted their attention away from Chili and I and swarmed the girl.

"Why didn't you come out earlier?!" one of the grunts barked.

"I-I wanted to, really!" she claimed on the verge of tears. "B-But the gym leaders... They told me not to!" She then shoved her pokeball practically in the grunts' faces. "I really don't want to torture him like that girl on the b-broadcast said... Please, liberate my Snivy!"

_'So this whole time, she bought it,'_ I observed, somewhat annoyed that I hadn't noticed it earlier.

"You're not serious, are you?" Chili asked.

The girl looked at Chili with pleading eyes. "I-I'm sorry, but you saw how easily my Snivy fainted... That girl on the screen was right... I'll only make my Snivy suffer because of how weak of a trainer I am!"

One of the grunts then took the opportunity to snatch the pokeball from the girl's palm, causing her to gasp in surprise. The group of five then turned to each other.

"What do you think we should do..?" one of the grunts muttered to his comrades.

"Well, you heard what the girl said! She was forced by the gym leaders!" another grunt muttered back.

"So... What do we do now?"

"Just ignore the girl! She's not a threat."

The five grunts turned back to the girl, who jumped when she was put under their glares.

"If you don't want any trouble, get out of here!" a female grunt demanded. "Consider that a warning!"

"Y-Yes! Of course!" the girl nervously replied as she vigorously nodded her head. "Just take good care of Snivy before you liberate him!" she requested nervously as she ran out from behind the counter and shocked us by bolting past Chili and I, leaving the gym.

Chili watched her leave with wide and betrayed eyes.

I cleared my throat and fixed my bow tie. "Now that the trainer is gone, I trust that you no longer have any business here?" I asked hopefully.

"What are you hiding?" a female grunt asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," I answered truthfully. "Quite frankly, I just don't like you."

"Ha-ha!" Chili trilled, pointing a finger in the bewildered grunts' directions.

"Enough!" snapped the same female grunt. "How dare you be so... So!"

"Oh my, you have quite a way with words," I teased, placing my fingertips on my heart as if I was offended.

"But, no matter..." a different grunt sneered. She crossed her arms and looked at the two of us with a sadistic smile. "Both of you and your brother failed... Team Plasma prevails!"

"I wonder... Would you beat us in a fair fight?" I questioned. _'Perhaps I can lure them into giving us our pokemon back...'_

"Yeah!" Chili exclaimed. "You'd be no match for us! That's why your silly little admin had to fight us!" he mocked, catching on to my plan.

"I see your point, Chili." I gave a hearty chuckle and gestured my hand to the handful of enraged grunts. "Such lowly _grunts _wouldn't be able to take on even our weakest pokemon."

"Hey!" barked a male grunt as he stepped up. "We'll show you!"

Three other grunts backed him up and barked a "yeah" in agreement. There was a grunt with a metal basket that only glowered at her comrades' reactions.

Chili and I looked at each other and smirked.

"Quick! Give them their pokemon!" the male grunt barked to the female grunt holding the metal basket. "They need to be set in place and know _who _the real threat is!"

"What are you?! Imbeciles?!" the female grunt holding the basket screeched.

Chili and I frowned. We were so close to fooling them.

_'So it would appear that not all grunts are morons,' _I observed. _'It's a shame...'_

"What do you mean?!" the male grunt barked back.

"They're clearly trying to trick you into giving them back their pokemon!" The female grunt was clearly annoyed at having to explain this.

_'Well, there is always that one smart guy in a group.' _I turned to Chili and nudged my head towards the door.

He smirked and nodded, and the two of us slowly edged our way to the exit. However, before we could exit, the door flew open, making Chili and I jump back in surprise.

In came Cilan, Fennel, and Amanita, followed by three grunts.

_'Fennel and Amanita..?'_ I wondered. _'Why are they here?'_

The three grunts closed the door behind them. "Lady Hilda demands that all five of these people are to be under house arrest here in the gym."

The five grunts by the counter stopped their quarrel and nodded, muttering an "understood." They didn't even give us a second glance as all eight grunts left the building.

The five of us looked at each other, wide-eyed and confused.

Chili broke the silence. "What... Just happened?"

"I... I don't know," Fennel admitted in a daze as she readjusted her glasses. "One moment I was just modifying a machine of mine and my radio went haywire."

"So you heard the announcement too, huh?" asked Chili.

Fennel and Amanita nodded.

"So then there's no need to review what's going on," I added in. "but that's not the situation at hand... Why are you two here?"

"We don't know," Amanita answered truthfully. "Cilan came in and asked to use our PC, but then about ten Team Plasma grunts barged in and trapped us downstairs."

"Oh, um... I'm sorry about that," Cilan apologized nervously.

"That's not what I meant," I corrected, shaking my head. "I mean why would they bring us all together?" I sighed at my inability to come up with a reason. _'It doesn't make sense... Why would they group the gym leaders with a scientist and one of Unova's smartest technicians?'_

"That's what I'd like to know," muttered Fennel. "Those grunts told us on the way here that they were bringing us here to make sure we didn't try anything funny."_  
_

"That's my point exactly," I replied. "With the five of us, they must know that we're bound to try something."

"Um... Maybe it's to help with surveillance?" Cilan suggested. "After all, having us all in one place is easier to watch rather than scattering us around."

I sighed. "I suppose you're right..."

"But Hilda's smarter than that," Amanita chimed in. "She wouldn't order us all together knowing that we would definitely try to oppose Team Plasma."

"Huh..?" I hummed in confusion. "Did you say that Hilda ordered us all together?" I mentally shook my head. _'Amanita's right... Hilda is too smart to do that. Could it be..?'_

Amanita nodded. "The grunts were surprised too, but she intimidated them into bringing the five of us together, here in the gym."

I felt somewhat excited. "You don't think she _wants _us to conspire, does she?" I asked hopefully.

Chili sighed. "Look, Cress, I know it's hard to accept, but we've already discovered that she's no good."

"Then why bother shacking us all up together?" I shot back.

"It's like Cilan said," Chili replied monotonously. "To better help with surveillance."

_''I still don't believe it,' _I told myself. _'Or am I really just being in denial..?'_

"But, while we're all here... I do have something interesting," Fennel interrupted.

My brothers and I sent each other curious glances. Although we kept in touch, we weren't too close with Fennel. If she was confiding in us for something, it was either because of the circumstances or something she could only trust us with.

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about it so close to the door," she suggested as she turned around and started walking back.

We nodded to each other and the five of us made our way to the back where the giant screen was still out. Chili made his way to a switchboard on the wall next to the screen and pressed a button, closing the three curtains that challengers had to pass on their way to battle us, the gym leaders.

"Just in case," he told us with a shrug. "Now Fennel deary, what's so bad to talk about that we have to retreat all the way to the back?"

Fennel ignored Chili's teasing nickname and proceeded to take something out of her lab coat. They were a few sheets of crumpled pieces of paper. "You see, someone dropped this off to me a little after the time Team Plasma entered the city. She told me she didn't expect them to come this early, and asked me to explain this to her."

"Who came to your lab?" Cilan asked curiously.

"Just someone who helped me out in the past," Fennel explained. "You see, apparently Team Plasma was out looking for her, so she didn't have much time. She just arrived in the city after planning the trip for days. I promised to analyze it and tell her my findings later."

"Where is she now?" I asked.

"Hiding in the Dream Yard," she explained.

"And what did she give you?"

"Look for yourselves," she offered, handing me one of the sheets of crumpled paper.

Chili and Cilan crowded me on both of my sides as we examined the piece of paper. It seemed to be a diagram of something.

_'I don't get it...'_ I admitted. _'Is it supposed to be a robot?'_ I sighed. "Professor Fennel, I don't mean this rudely, but how is this at all relevant?"

"The girl who gave it to me said that it was from one of Team Plasma's labs," Fennel explained. "She nor any of her companions were able to decipher it, so she handed it off to me, hoping I could find out something about it."

"And what-" Cilan attempted to ask, but was cut off by an echoing sound.

"What's that?" asked Amanita.

_'That's the door... Someone's here to visit,'_ I realized. I turned to Fennel and Amanita.

"Considering you guys have some secret stuff planted on you, I recommend that you hand low and wait here," Chili suggested, to which Amanita and Fennel agreed.

My brothers and I started walking back to the front.

"Back already, hm..?" Chili asked, aggravated. "You and your crazy admin already took our pokemon and the trainer's pokemon!"

"Uh... Chili, I don't think it's a grunt..." Cilan corrected

_'I don't think it is either. If it was, they would've swarmed to the back by now,'_ I concluded. "Then..." I murmured to myself. "Who is it?"

Chili walked up to a button on the side of the wall which slowly lifted up the first curtain of the gym. He walked back in place, and a second after, the person who entered revealed herself. It was Hilda, standing quite uncomfortably might I add.

I raised an eyebrow. _'Hilda..? What is she doing here?'_ I pursed my lips. _'Probably not here for a friendly battle...' _She was most likely here to further interrogate us. I had to face the facts.

She abets Team Plasma.

* * *

_Ghetsis_

* * *

"Lord Ghetsis, Lord N has returned,"a grunt informed me.

_'Back already..?' _I wondered. _'I told him to train until the sun sets. That fool may have beaten the Pokemon League, but isn't he aware that there are trainers by the hundreds that will soon be willing to take him down?'_ I sighed at my thoughts and then nodded. "Alright. Tell him I am ready for him."

The grunt bowed. "Understood," he saluted as he exited the room and back into the main floor of the Pokemon Center.

I waited patiently for N to come to the back. After about a minute, he did.

"I trust that you've had a productive training session?" I asked.

He nodded. "I have. My Vanillite has evolved into Vanillish."

_'It was able to evolve? Perhaps it isn't as pathetic as I thought it was,'_ I reasoned with myself. "Good," I rewarded.

He nodded. "Thank you, Sage Ghetsis."

"Where exactly did you train?" I inquired.

"On Route 1 beforehand, but I soon transferred myself to the Dream Yard."

"The Dream Yard..." I muttered. "Did you perhaps see any trainers hiding there? Anyone who might have evaded the benevolent hands of Team Plasma?"

N shook his head. "No, not that I saw."

"I see..." I decided to take his word for it; I made sure that N wasn't as absent-minded as most of the members on our team.

"I've decided not to partake in the next liberation as well," he informed me. "I need more training."

I nodded. "That's fine. Now who do you suggest takes your place?"

His answer was predictable. "The new admin, Hilda." He trusted her greatly after such a small confrontation.

However, I couldn't bring myself to disagree. "Alright, but you must make progress."

"Understood," he replied casually. "And I trust that you have reclaimed the location?"

I groused to myself. "No. That spy hasn't admitted to the pieces of information that he stole."

N looked distraught. "But... What about anyone else? Hasn't anyone seen the paper with its location?" he asked desperately.

I shook my head. "You'll just have to find it on your own, then," I informed him. "And make sure you do."

N looked nervous but regained his composure. He nodded. "Then it's my side mission."

"Don't stray too far from your priorities," I warned. "Remember... You are not the only one looking." I reminded myself that I also had that girl as a backup plan, not that N knew that was the reason why I agreed to let her join. Even if I didn't, he would've had her join nonetheless, but my approval was a key factor to him.

He nodded. "I understand, fath-"

"I told you not to call me that!" I sneered. My face scrunched up in irritation. "As a King, you answer to no one, _understand_?"

N looked surprised, but regained his composure. "Yes, I understand."

"Good, _Lord_ N," I falsely rewarded, being sure to emphasize his title to remind him of his place.

* * *

_Cress_

* * *

_'I knew that she wasn't part of Team Plasma... I knew it!' _I thought happily. I was never this ecstatic about anything, but I couldn't help it considering the earlier events of today.

Hilda had visited, not to intimidate us, but to give us back our pokemon. Not only that, but she too was trying to fight Team Plasma, but on the inside. And now, we had an outside source.

_'But thinking about it... Now it makes sense why she sent Fennel and Amanita over here,'_ I deducted. _'She really did want someone to try and take down Team Plasma.'_

Once the door closed, Chili pressed the button to make the curtain go down. He feigned a defeated sigh and looked at me with a sly smile. "Looks like you were right, Cress."

I casually shrugged as the three of us proceeded back to the end of the gym. "I just didn't think she'd support Team Plasma," I explained. "But I do think we should take her word for it and not tell Fennel and Amanita."

"Uh... Why?" questioned Cilan.

"Well, for one, she stole Professor Fennel's dream mist," I reminded them with a shrug.

"Haha, that she did!" Chili chimed in, uppercutting the air. "Imagine the look on Fennel's face when she finds out she stole it!"

I raised a quizzical eyebrow in Chili's direction. "Are you forgetting what I just said?"

Chili's smile was replaced with a blank look. "Oh. Right."

Before we could continue our conversation, we had already made it back to the end of the gym. It was then that I realized that I forgot to tell Hilda about Fennel's findings.

_'Oh well... I'll just tell her next time,' _I decided.

Fennel and Amanita have migrated to a nearby table. Fennel was sitting down, trying to examine the pieces of paper, while Amanita watched intensively. Upon realizing we were back, Amanita's head shot up.

"Who was it? What did they say?"

"It was only Hilda, and don't worry about it," Chili assured them. "She only wanted to make sure that none of us left."

Amanita sighed with relief. "Oh, that's good."

The three of us approached the table and sat down. Fennel didn't move at all as she continued to examine the pieces of paper.

"Now I see why they weren't able to figure anything out," she informed us. "This isn't just a regular pokemon."

"So that robot-looking thing is a pokemon?" questioned Chili, disbelief exaggerated in his voice.

"I've, um, never seen a pokemon like this," commented Cilan as he eyed one of the stray pieces of paper. "Professor Fennel, are you sure?"

"I'm confident," she replied indifferently.

"Then why haven't we seen it?" Chili wondered.

"That's because Team Plasma modified it," she explained.

Cilan's and Chili's faces turned blank with confusion, I raised an eyebrow, and Amanita gasped.

"But Professor... What do you mean?" asked Amanita.

"Just that," she put it simply. "Team Plasma has taken a pokemon and has engineered it to be somewhat resembling a machine..."

"But... Wouldn't that hurt?" asked Amanita nervously.

Fennel nodded sternly. "Not only would it be immensely painful, but it doesn't end there."

"What more could there be?" I wondered as I picked up one of the three pieces of paper and tried to examine it. I winced when I couldn't understand a word. It looked too complicated for me, so I set it back down.

"They've been keeping this pokemon in a base cylinder of a special kind of liquid..." she continued, musing over the information she was receiving. "Basically, if this pokemon does anything that its captors doesn't like, they can just shock it into obedience. The voltage is amplified by the liquid."

I saw Chili and Amanita cringe at the thought of being electrocuted.

"They call it 'The Genesect Project...'" she finished, laying down the piece of paper she was holding and diverting her attention back to us. "The goal of it is to create an artificial pokemon."

"That's... Inhumane," Cilan judged.

"It is," Fennel agreed, nodding. "They also need dream mist for this 'Genesect.'"

"Dream mist? Why?" Cilan questioned.

"You can say that Genesect is... Incomplete," she explained. "From what I can tell from the little bits of information on the few sheets that she gave me, Team Plasma needs dream mist to give Genesect vision."

"So what you're saying is that this 'Genesect' is blind?" I asked. _'Then it shouldn't be too much of a threat.'_

Fennel nodded again. "The dream mist would create mirages for it to sense and then apply to vision, thus 'unlocking' the sense, for lack of a better word. They can sense vibrations, but are not gifted with sight." Fennel sighed. "Oh, I just hope they don't go into my lab and take my only capsule of dream mist..."

"You see, Munnas are rare," Amanita explained. "I don't see many in my PC server either."

"And I'm quite famous for working with dream mist," Fennel explained worriedly. "I really hope they don't take it..."

"Somehow, I don't think that's going to be a problem," Chili assured them with a smirk.

I shot him a glare, but he only shrugged off the notion with a smirk and a thumbs up.

Fennel sighed. "I hope so..."

"But don't you see?" chimed Amanita. "This is how we can run Team Plasma out of the city!"

"How so?" I inquired.

"Hee-hee," Amanita giggled. "Team Plasma is all for releasing pokemon. Why?"

"Well... Because they think we torture pokemon, and, um... They think pokemon deserve to be free," Cilan answered.

"And what are they doing to Genesect?" she questioned with a grin.

"Oh, I see!" Chili realized, pounding a proud fist on his open palm. "They're doing just what they preach shouldn't be done!"

"They're hypocrites," I added in.

"Exactly!"

I smirked. "So all we have to do is reveal Team Plasma for what they're doing and everyone will jump in in trying to get them out."

Fennel smirked and readjusted her glasses. "Now, how do we plan to reveal Team Plasma to everyone?"

"Well... We can't leave," I pointed out frustratingly.

"Hm... We can't," Fennel echoed.

My brothers and I exchanged glances, and it was evident that we had the same idea. We would hand off the evidence to Hilda the next time we saw her.

"Welp! I'm sure we'll find out some sort of solution," Chili offered confidently as he placed his hands behind his head.

Fennel and Amanita looked at each other with a confused look on their faced, but nodded to each other, deciding to trust us.

"Alright..." Fennel hummed. She placed her elbow in the table and rested her chin on her hand. "I wonder how I'm going to contact them though... After all, we only have this information because of them..."

"No problem! We'll just tell Hilda!" Chili suggested. He froze when he realized what he just said.

"W-Why would you do that?!" Amanita questioned nervously. "Were you really in league with Team Plasma?!"

"Oh, no! No, of course not!" Chili assured them anxiously while vigorously waving his hands. "All I mean is that maybe we can convince Hilda to help us out?"

"Um... It is possible that she can be bribed... After all, we bribed her for our pokemon back," Cilan added in.

Fennel and Amanita looked bewildered.

_'Oh, that's right... We have to train our pokemon,'_ I recalled. _'We had to have some excuse sometime later when we start training in front of them.'_

"I see," Fennel mused. "A corrupt leader is always good."

"In this case, anyway!" Amanita trilled.

"I think it's time I'd call it a night," Chili interrupted, followed by a yawn.

Fennel and Amanita followed in suit.

"I agree," Amanita assented.

"If you'll follow me, I'll, um... Show you where you sleep," Cilan offered as we all stood up.

_'Hilda... You better be back by tomorrow.'_

* * *

**Unfathomable Reiteration : End**

* * *

I really wish I had Word... It would be a lot easier writing, considering that every time I write on this website, my browser randomly closes and I lose everything. If there's ever a delay, that'll be one of the reasons for it. I really do hate this... The page resets at least four times a chapter. It's really irritating to lose your progress.

This chapter is longer than I expected. I thought it would only be around 6k words, but it's actually around 10.5k. Sorry if it seems like a long-winded filler to you. I think it's safe to say I won't be writing any other switched POV chapters for a while, and it's safe to say none of them will be of Cress'.

I also learned that I really enjoy writing Chili. It's too bad he probably won't show up every chapter and that it'll never be in his POV.

Also, this is the last time we're going to see Ghetsis for a while. He was introduced so early only to jump start Hilda's "career."

The Genesect needing dream mist to see thing was me attempting to have a reason why the grunts (in game) were willing to beat up a Munna for dream mist.

I always forget to write this in the Author's Note, but thanks to all of my new followers and... um... Favoriters? (For lack of a better word, lol)

And a not-so-serious question to you guys who review... I've been reading around some stories regarding the 5th generation, and I notice that people usually call her "White" or "Touko." Does anyone think changing her name from "Hilda" to "Touko" would get me more reads? LOL (I honestly think it would, but I'm not willing to go back and edit everything at this point.)

KawaiiJoltic : Yeah, I decided not to discontinue it. I'll probably still have doubts in the future, but I always seem to get out of it. I don't think this story will ever be in "real danger" (for lack of a better word). I just don't think my story is interesting enough to appeal to many people, but I'm glad you like it (it appears that I did say something, lol). I don't think it's writers block, but just me being lazy. Haha, uh... Sorry. And no, thank _you_. You've been reviewing for a while, and it really does help. And I recall that you're the reviewer that motivated me to write chapter 7 in a day. (I think it was chapter 7...)

StylishFashionista : I don't believe my story is interesting enough to appeal to a lot of people, but I'm touched that you'd think that. And you really think I executed the plot well? I'd disagree, but thanks nonetheless. Everything you've said in your review really means a lot. Thanks for reading.

XrosaryX : Thank. I wasn't too sure how well I did with Hilda, I thought I exaggerated it a bit too much. But it really means a lot to know you enjoy it. But are you sure you're not just saying that stuff to lift my spirits? (lol). And why are you thanking _me_? You're the one that left behind this motivating review. Thanks for reading as always, because if I recall correctly, you've been following this story for a while, and thanks a lot for reviewing too.

Roy's Little Girl : I've decided not to quit, because I really do like writing and then all of this would've been a waste. Thanks for taking the time to catch up, I do know some chapters are a bit long. And sorry for those errors. For some reason, I don't spot them when I do a final edit, but when I reread it sometime after, I see errors everywhere. But thanks, your review is actually inspiring. And I may have doubts in the future, but trust me, I don't plan on giving up on this story anytime soon. Thanks for taking the time to review.


	13. Advancing Overture

**Chapter 13 : Advancing Overture**

* * *

I heard some distance thudding. Banging. Running..? I don't know. I can't concentrate.

I turned.

Voices. A lot of voices.

I wrestled with my pillow a little and yawned, still too tired to open my eyes.

Suddenly, the door slammed open.

I shrilled in surprise as my eyes shot open and I rolled off my bed. "Ah..." I hissed as I winced and rubbed the sore spot of my head that hit the floor. _'Wait... My room doesn't have a door...'_

"Oh, Lady Hilda! My sincerest apologies!"

"Huh..?" I moaned, still in a daze as I sat up. A coffee table was to my left and the couch to my right. _'Oh... Right. I was so tired out by my training yesterday that I crashed out on the couch again...' _I started to stand up, using the couch as a support. _'Wait... Who's there?'_ I wondered. Realizing that I didn't voice it, I croaked, "Wait, who's there?" My voice was a little shaky from my sleep.

Footsteps ran to my side. "Lady Hilda, I apologize deeply! I didn't know that this was your house!" a frantic voice claimed.

The shock from the sudden wake up call and the soreness of falling finally gone, I came to my senses. Next to me stood a deeply concerned grunt, looking at me with worry. Or fear. I then put together all of the noises that woke me up. I could see a few grunts running about through the ajar door. The grunt next to me had welcomed herself in, rather harshly.

"What's going on..?" I demanded, still a bit groggy. It sounded more like an inquiry than an order.

"Lord Gorm requested an inspection, but I apologize again... I didn't know this was your house!" she claimed in a corybantic fashion. "Please, forgive me!" she pleaded while bowing furiously.

I raised an eyebrow at her actions, but chose not to say anything about it. "An inspection you say..?"

The grunt nodded ferociously, nervous under my presence. "Yes, Lady Hilda. Lord Ghetsis has received a hint that there are wicked trainers that still oppose Team Plasma."

"Stop calling me- Ah, I'm not in the mood..." I decided, trying to pry open my drooping eyes. _'I really shouldn't have stayed out training as late as I did.'_ Then it hit me. "Wait... What do you mean by that?"

"We have captured a spy that has been spying on Team Plasma!" she announced proudly.

_'Looker...'_ I deducted.

"He has admitted that there are still trainers who own pokemon, and that they're intent on taking down Team Plasma!" she explained valiantly. "That's why Lord Gorm ordered an inspection."

"I see..." I muttered. "Did you come here because G-Lord Gorm needed me?" I asked, stuttering when I almost forgot to use his title.

Thankfully, the grunt didn't notice. However, she did tense up. "N-No, I barged in here on my own account... My sincerest apologies, it will never happen again!" Once more, she bowed furiously.

"Um... You don't need to be so tense," I assured her, trying to calm her down. It didn't work, though. "So... I don't need to change into my uniform and go out and help with the... 'Inspection' as you called it?" When I came home yesterday, I changed back into my normal attire, which I now dubbed my sleeping clothes, and made some poffins. After I ate, I didn't have the energy to head back upstairs.

"N-No, there were no orders from Lord Gorm to retrieve you. I'm sorry, again!" she apologized as she ran out the door, muttering apologies.

"Well, that was eventful..." I muttered, scratching my head. _'Now... What to do?' _I spotted my pokemon belt sitting innocently on the coffee table.

Yesterday, I had swapped my Team Plasma team with my actual team as to not arouse suspicion. I considered taking them out for another training session, but then I thought about my Team Plasma team. They weren't my own pokemon, but they were still pokemon. I doubted that they wanted to be cooped up in their pokeballs forever.

Sighing, I brought my utility belt upstairs to my room. I took out the five Team Plasma pokemon from under my bed and took my satchel from my bedpost, stuffing them in. I rolled my main team under and then scurried back downstairs. I went to the kitchen counter and counted up my berries.

_'I'll need to scavenge for before I come back,'_ I decided as I picked out some of the few oran, pecha, persim, and chesto berries that I had. I made a mental note of how many of each I had. _'4 orans, 3 pechas, 5 persims, and 1 chesto... I don't even have at least one sitrus... I really do need to find more.'_

When I left, I didn't see one towns-person on the streets. All I saw were Team Plasma grunts barging in on houses. I could faintly make them out yelling, "This is an inspection! We'll be checking around your house for pokemon!"

I sulked at the fact that I couldn't do anything to help the innocents. _'No... I can. I just won't because I'm too craven,'_ I corrected with ire. The Striaton Brothers assured me that my actions were understandable, but I still didn't buy it.

Sighing, I made my way to the usual spot in the forest. I traveled some distance out before I found the clearing that my pokemon made.

I felt a little uneasy out here. Perhaps it was because I didn't bring my own pokemon, or that I was going to train pokemon that would ruin the lives of others. Perhaps I was exaggerating, but I was sure that the sages would want me to train on my own time as well. I didn't want to think of what would happen if I lost a battle. There were pros and cons to that, but the cons were the ones that directly effected me.

I took the pokeballs out from my bag and let them all out at once, a red light reflecting my vision. In front of me stood the four cold-demeaned pokemon and the cowardly Purrloin. They were all looking around, trying to decipher where we were.

"This place is a training grounds that I made a while back," I explained. _'Alright... Maybe it's not too far back, but the past is the past.'_

All of the pokemon except for Purrloin started inspecting the ground. Krookodile and Watchog didn't seem content with the bumpy surface.

"Now, I'm going to use it to train you guys," I informed them. "Scraggy, you got the most training, so you go sit on the sidelines over there."

Scraggy sternly nodded his head and made his way to sit on some logs.

"Hm..." I hummed as I inspected the remaining four pokemon. _'The ones that need the most training right now are Purrloin and Trubbish... But is Purrloin willing to train this time?'_ I decided to try it out. "Watchog and Krookodile, you're already pretty strong, so you guys sit out too."

Krookodile crossed her arms and unwillingly walked in Scraggy's direction. Watchog scoffed and followed her.

_'Just walking balls of sunshine, aren't they?' _I observed. I leaned down to reach the remaining pokemons' eye levels. "Alright Trubbish, I already know your moveset, and you've got it pretty good. That leaves Purrloin."

Trubbish nodded but frowned as he walked back to the others. That left the cowering Purrloin left alone.

"Now the final question is, are you willing to train?" I asked it while preparing myself to be struck.

To my surprise, the Purrloin only cautiously walked up to me and started rubbing himself against my knee while purring.

"Uh..." I moaned, feeling both confused and awkward. _'It was willing to claw my eyes out not too long ago and now it's being affectionate to me.' _I decided to take a shot in the dark. "Uh... Are you okay?"

The Purrloin looked up at me with its watery eyes.

Now, I started to feel really nervous. _'What did I do to it? Is this some sort of weird attacking ritual?' _I reluctantly started to pet its head, but seeing that it meant no danger, relaxed a little. _'I wonder why it's being so affectionate now...'_

Suddenly, the Purrloin jumped. I gasped, suspecting that he was going to attack me, but instead, he climbed up to my shoulders and cuddled against my head, purring affectionately.

"Uh... So, um... Are we friends now or something?" I asked unsurely. _'Or is it just trying to get closer to me to claw my face?' _I prepared myself to get scratched.

The Purrloin perched itself on my shoulder to a more comfortable position and purred again.

"We're cool now? No kidding?" I asked again, only to hear no response. "I... Guess so..." I assumed as I reached up my hand to scratch it behind the ears. "I wouldn't mind this at any other time, but right now we need to train or it'll backfire on both of us..."

I felt Purrloin nod as he pounced off of my shoulder. When he landed, he turned around to look at me, waiting for my orders.

"So... What moves do you know?"

Purrloin extended his paw, claws glowing and growing as he did. He didn't have to even initiate the attack for me to determine that it was scratch.

"Alright, I can work with scratch," I asserted to myself. "What else?"

Purrloin only continued to stare at me. It was evident that scratch was the only attack he knew.

_'Then he must be either untrained or... A newborn!'_ I realized, unable to hide my surprise. _'Captured at a young age and stolen at a young age... To people that abused him. Now it makes sense why he was so defensive before...'_

Purrloin seemed to be getting a little anxious. Perhaps he was nervous because of my silence.

"Um... No, it's okay. All you need is a little training," I assured it. I was relieved when I saw him relax a little. I started to ruminate on ideas to help it train. _'I'm not just trying to teach him random moves like I did with Scraggy, so making it scratch a bunch of random trees won't do anything to help its speed, accuracy, or defense...' _I took one look back at my team sitting on the sidelines.

Watchog was sulking to himself, Krookodile was sending me daggers with her eyes, Scraggy was sitting dutifully and giving a hard stare out into the distance, and Trubbish was pacing back and forth.

_'So I don't know Krookodile's moveset yet, but I think she would be too strong for Purrloin,' _I decided. _'Watchog or Trubbish would be the best choice... Trubbish for now,' _I decided. Waving a hand, I called out, "Trubbish! You're up!"

Trubbish stopped pacing. He walked over here, befuddled at why I would ask of his assistance or why I would call him back after just sending him away. I noticed that my choice seemed to irritate Krookodile.

"Alright, Purrloin. If something seems too hard for you, give me a sign," I warned him as I crouched down to Trubbish's and Purrloin's eye levels. "And Trubbish, you use toxic spikes."

Trubbish complied. He brought his hands in the air, and a few feet away, purple spikes materialized in the air and lazily fell down to the ground. There was a sinister glint on its sharp points.

I saw the hairs on the back of Purrloin's neck go up.

"It's alright, trust me on this," I assured him. My words seemed to ephemerally quell Purrloin. "Make your way into the middle of the range of where the spikes fell."

Purrloin looked at me with pleading eyes but fearfully retreated into the middle of the spikes, cautiously taking each step.

I turned back to Trubbish. "You're done, thanks."

Trubbish trotted back to the spot with the other four pokemon, bothered by having to do such a small chore. He grumbled in irritation.

I glanced over the tree pokemon currently sitting on the sidelines. "Scraggy, come over here."

Scraggy jumped off of the log he was standing on and marched back to my side. "Scraggy?"

"Scraggy, I know you have an, um... _Special_ sand attack."

Scraggy cocked his head away and spat, either in embarrassment or annoyance.

"I'm going to need you to continuously keep it up in Purrloin's direction," I requested. "Can you do that?"

Scraggy nodded and started kicking the ground. Not too soon after, a dust cloud floated its way to Purrloin's direction, masquerading the ground and all of its toxic spikes. Scraggy continued to apathetically kick the ground, and honestly, he looked kinda bored.

"Thanks." I returned my attention to Purrloin and felt guilty when I saw his eyes wide with terror. "You see, as long as you don't move, you won't step on a toxic spike."

Purrloin nodded its head, but his eyes were still wide and filled with terror.

_'Now all I need is some sort of projectile attack...'_ I thought to myself as I looked back at the remaining three pokemon on the sidelines. _'As a ground type, Krookodile's not likely to know any and Watchog doesn't know any projectiles that can be physically hit...' _I recapped to myself. _'That leaves Trubbish and his sludge bomb,' _I realized. "Hey, Trubbish... Come back for a second, will ya'?"

Trubbish scowled with a twitching eye. He stomped back to my side, looking up at me with ire.

I made a mental note to never annoy this one. "Ahahah, yeah... I need your assistance... Again..."

Trubbish muttered something at my sheepishness.

"You're going to do sludge bomb at Purrloin, but only start when I say so," I informed it.

Trubbish nodded lazily as he sat down and waited for my orders.

I turned back to Purrloin and felt guilty when I saw that he was visibly shaking. "H-Hey, don't worry about it!" I tried to assure it. "So this is how it's going to work," I begun to explain. "Trubbish is going to shoot some sludge bombs at you. You're going to use your scratch attack on my say and swipe the sludge away."

Purrloin shyly nodded its head, still looking very frightened.

"If you dodge the sludge bomb, you'll most likely hit a toxic spike. If you jump over it, the sludge bomb will fall where you once were. Considering that you'll land on either a spike or the sludge, you have a high chance of being poisoned. That being said, your best bet is to try and hit the sludge away."

Purrloin's eyes widened. He was frozen in fear but managed to hold up a paw for a second, indicating that he understood.

I felt bad, but this was going to be more productive than slashing trees. If slashing trees needed to be done, I was fine with that, but at the very least I wanted to try this first. "Just remember... You have to trust me. As your trainer, I'm not going to let this go too far. Scratch when I say so, not when you're scared."

Purrloin nervously looked around himself as if he was trying to spot something through the dust clouds from Scraggy's continuing sand attack.

"Alright Trubbish, Purrloin... Tell me when you're ready."

Trubbish grunted apathetically and Purrloin let out a shy wail.

I stood up and let out a sigh, feeling dizzy from crouching for so long. I looked down at Trubbish. "I'm going to tap my foot, and each time I do, you're going to give Purrloin a _weak _sludge bomb. Got it?"

Trubbish groaned in response, not bothering to even sit up. I took another glance at Scraggy; his face mirrored Trubbish's in the apathetic sense.

I sighed and crossed my arms. I made a mental note to set aside a day not for training with these guys; I needed to brighten up their lives somehow. With my thoughts done, I returned my attention to the craven Purrloin.

I tapped my foot, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Trubbish spit out small purple goo from its mouth. It looked like it didn't take much effort, and the sludge bomb itself looked pitiful. _  
_

Purrloin looked at me with fear before clenching close his eyes and mindlessly swiping the air with glowing claws.

Before I could intervene, as expected, the sludge flew in its face, a slight smacking sound echoing upon impact. Purrloin whined as he desperately swiped his face, trying to get the sludge off.

From the corners of my eyes, I saw Scraggy stop kicking for a moment, clearly seeing this as pointless, and Trubbish yawning.

"Didn't I tell you? You have to_ trust_ me," I reprimanded. _'Not only am I trying to get this Purrloin to learn a move other than growl, but I'm trying to build his trust... It doesn't seem to be working.' _I took off my satchel from my shoulder and rummaged through it for an oran berry. When I found one I tossed it in Purrloin's direction. "Here," I said as it flew to him.

Purrloin clenched his eyes closed as he scratched at it again. The berry was diced into pieces and fell into the dust cloud below him.

_'There goes one of the few berries I have_...' I tried to spot it through the dust cloud but couldn't find it.

Purrloin looked at me with a fearful expression. He started shaking again, despite the waning dust clouds.

I raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?" I asked him. Then my eyes widened. "Were you poisoned by the sludge bomb?" I asked worriedly. I hastily rummaged through my satchel to look for a pecha berry. "Just hold on a second, you'll be okay!" A second later, I noticed that Purrloin wasn't glowing an ominous purple, causing me to halt in my search.

Purrloin's eyes widened, almost as if he was surprised by something. He shyly shook his head no.

"Oh, good..." I sighed with relief. I rummaged through my bag for another oran berry. "I only got two more after this, so be more careful, alright? I wouldn't want to bring you back injured." With that said, I tossed the berry.

The Purrloin looked at me, befuddled, before he caught the oran berry in his mouth. He purred at its sweetness and then regained his composure, waiting for me to continue.

_'It's just a baby, but I can't go easy on it for that reason...'_ I told myself. I looked down at both Scraggy and Trubbish. "Ready to continue?"

* * *

In the end, that little exercise was able to teach Purrloin the move assist.

Trubbish and Scraggy weren't impressed with his initial progress, but imagine our surprise when all of the sudden, Purrloin's eyes started glowing a sinister red, and the next second so was his body. Before we could even brace ourselves, deadly fires started sprouting from the ground and in mid-air, incinerating the measly sludge bomb that Trubbish sent it. The dust cloud evaporated into sparks and the toxic spikes and stray sludge were reduced to ash and smithereens.

That was how I learned Krookodile knew outrage.

Needless to say, even though Purrloin only learned one move, I saw potential in him.

I also learned Krookodile's moveset; earthquake, dig, sandstorm, and of course, outrage. She wasn't all that willing to work with me, though. She may be the strongest of all five, but if she couldn't cooperate, I couldn't use her. She seemed dead set on ignoring and detesting me. Not that the others except for Purrloin weren't, but at the very least, they complied.

Our training stopped when I ran out of oran berries. I couldn't even salvage what was left of the one Purrloin sliced, for it was scorched. When I tried to pick it up, it disintegrated.

I returned all of the pokemon to their pokeballs, except for Purrloin who didn't want to return. I let him out anyway; he could help me collect berries.

However, we were only able to find status ailments. No oran or sitrus berries in sight. I apologized to Purrloin, who I know was missing some health. Purrloin didn't seem annoyed in the slightest; in fact, he only perched himself on my shoulder and started rubbing himself against my head again. His affection was enough to make me feel at rest, for when we first entered the forest, I had this uneasy feeling.

_'This Purrloin... Confuses me,'_ I decided. _'Was there something wrong with him earlier..?' _I wondered, recalling his craven behavior. _'No... That would be normal for any pokemon of a young age.'_ I could still feel him cuddling against my head. _'But then why is he being so affectionate now?' _

By now I had figured out that he wasn't trying to deceive me and attack me when I least expected it, but I still wanted to know what made him change his mind about me. I didn't reject its new behavior at all; if anything, I felt the opposite. It was the only one of the five that didn't have a cold vibe to it.

A voice snapped me out of my stupor. "Lady Hildaa!"

I frowned and stopped walking.

Purrloin froze at the voice, most likely shocked at the sudden outburst.

_'There goes my apparent day off...'_ Sighing, I called out, "Over here!"

I saw a female grunt through the trees. She was starting to run over to me. "Oh, Lady Hilda! Thank goodness!"

"Hey, stop calling me that, will ya'?"

As the female grunt came into a closer view, Purrloin pounced off of my shoulder and hid behind my legs. I could feel him shaking a little. I turned a little to look at him. Despite his scared demeanor, he held a poker face and stared straight up at me. Before I could question if anything was wrong, the grunt had made it by my side.

"I was told that I could find you here!" the grunt explained. I noticed that she looked nervous and was panting.

_'Has she been looking for me for a while..?'_ I wondered. "Um... Was I needed for something?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed eagerly. "Lord Gorm has been looking for you!" She didn't seem angry, but rather relieved.

"He has..?" I asked, a bit confused. '_Didn't that earlier grunt say that my assistance wasn't needed, or something like that?" _I scratched the back of my head. "Oh... Should I change into my uniform or-"

"No time!" she snapped as she hurriedly grabbed my arm and started to whisk me away.

"Gah!" I gasped at the sudden pulling. I started to run at her pace, but she still wouldn't let go of my arm. "U-Um... What exactly does he need me for?"

Without turning back, she answered, "The liberation has already begun!"

"The one in Nacrene City?!" I asked, bewildered. "Already?!"

"Yes!" The grunt tightened her grip on my arm. While it didn't hurt, it was most definitely annoying.

"Uh... Hello?" I called out to her again. She either ignored me or didn't hear me, causing me to furrow my brows in annoyance. "Um... Can you please let go of me?!"

All of the sudden, I felt something pounce on my back, almost causing me to trip. However, I felt paws so I knew it was Purrloin. All of the sudden, Purrloin started hissing.

"Um... Purrloin, do you hate me again?" I asked sheepishly. I sighed as I prepared myself for it to attack. _'I knew it was too good to be true.'_

To answer my question, Purrloin jumped over my head and onto the wrist that the unsuspecting grunt was holding me by.. He brought up his claw to use scratch on her, but the grunt suddenly caught it by its paw.

"What do you think you're doing, you piece of trash?!" she sneered as we stopped running.

Purrloin froze in fear and waited for something to happen. Before I could intervene, the grunt threw Purrloin against a nearby tree, causing Purrloin to screech in agony.

"Don't you _dare _raise a claw at Team Plasma again!" she spat as she crouched down by his level. "You should be honored that we even took you under our wing!" She raised another hand.

"That's enough," I snapped.

The grunt looked at me with disbelief. "Are you telling me to allow this pokemon to disrespect us?"

"No," I rejected abruptly. "As its trainer, _I'll _handle it."

The grunt looked surprised but nodded and muttered a, "Yes, Lady Hilda." She shot Purrloin a sinister smirk that said, "You're going to get it now." Of course, she didn't actually voice it, but it was implied.

I raised an eyebrow. _'Just what does she think I'm going to do to him?'_

She stood up. "I'll report to Lord Gorm that you are on your way to Nacrene City."

I nodded. "Give him my sincerest apologies," I said as she ran out of my sight. _'Not that I'm sorry or anything.'_ I sighed and crouched down by the Purrloin. I furrowed my brows when I saw him looking at me with fear. _'Does he think I'm going to strike him or something..?'_ I wondered. I raised a hand to pet him, but instead he braced himself for a hit. His reaction caused me to frown, but afterwards I smiled as I tussled the hair on his head. _'So he really wasn't going to attack me again back there,'_ I thought happily. _'But then... Why was he hissing? The grunt didn't threaten him until he attempted to attack her.'_

Purrloin looked at me with wide and curious eyes. It was evident from his facial expression that he was bewildered by my genial touch.

"Good job," I rewarded him as I returned him to his pokeball. "And I'm sorry that you had to experience that," I murmured to his pokeball. I stuffed his pokeball back into my satchel and started running back towards town. _'If a sage says he's been looking for me, that means no good...'_

* * *

I bolted my way through town. It was now vacant of the grunts that were there earlier.

When I reached Route 1, I was stopped by a voice.

"And where do you think you've been?!" exclaimed an enraged voice.

I stopped in my tracks. I didn't even have to turn my head to know who it was. _'Gorm...'_ I thought with a frown. I sighed and turned in the direction of the voice. He was standing where I usually went; in front of that body of water.

"Haven't you been told to be here every day?!" he continued to harangue.

"Eheheh..." I laughed awkwardly. _'Oh man... I forgot!' _I thought sheepishly, frowning at my mistake. "You see, this grunt came to my house and said-"

"A lowly member such as a grunt does not dole your duties!" he retorted.

I scowled at how he cut me off. I sighed. "I understand Lord Gorm, it won't happen again," I assured him routinely as if this has happened before.

"My Lord N..." he muttered to himself. "What do you see in such an irresponsible person..?"

"I'm sorry, Lord Gorm," I apologized insincerely, "but what other mistakes have I made? I want to make sure that I'll never make them again."

Gorm sighed to himself, but it was clearly exaggerated to portray his stress. "Yesterday, you forgot to mention that Lord N has defeated the Pokemon League!"

I frowned and pursed my lips. I mentally sighed. _'That's it? That's the only other thing I've done wrong?'_ Deciding to appease him, I shrilled, "Oh my! What a terrible neglect I've done! You have my utmost sincere apologies, Lord Gorm!"

"I am not the one you need to apologize to!" he roared. Then he stared at me with glaring eyes. "And you aren't even in uniform!"

I had to stop myself from scoffing out loud._ 'Honestly, he's just trying to rat out what he can about me. I doubt he actually cares if I'm in uniform or not.'_ I smirked, but quickly put on a dishonest worried look. "Oh my! My recklessness will surely be a burden on Team Plasma!"

"Indeed it will!" he exclaimed in anger. He was turning beet red.

I found myself trying to conceal a smug smile. I frowned, realizing what I was doing. _'Now's not the time to be fooling around... Even if it is fun,'_ I decided. Clearing my throat, I asked, "What do you need me for, Lord Gorm?"

"Lord N has decided that he needs more training," Gorm informed me. "Therefore, you are to take his place in acquiring the Nacrene City Museum."

I found myself frowning again. _'So... This time, I have to beat down Lenora...'_ I realized that if what the grunt said was true and the liberation has already started, Lenora would already be fighting. "Lord Gorm... Has Team Plasma made it to Nacrene City yet?"

Gorm shook his head. "I had a grunt deliver the message in your absence," he explained. "All deployments are already on their way to the city, and I would be flabbergasted to learn that they would take longer than three minutes to infiltrate the city! You must go, now!"

I nodded. "Understood." When I turned away, I had a smug smirk. _'Without a babysitter, maybe this time I'll be able to get somewhere with our little 'resistance.''_

"And don't forget," Gorm added in, stopping me in my tracks. "Lord Ghetsis won't hesitate to punish you if you don't try your hardest."

I scowled in frustration. _'I just can't get a break... Can I?'_

* * *

When I arrived in Nacrene City, I noticed that the streets were in utter pandemonium. I didn't see any trainer that looked like he or she would willingly hand in their pokemon. Battles were at every corner and at countless doorsteps.

I muttered profanities under my breath. On normal circumstances, I would've joined in the fight. However, I knew that if I would, something would happen to Cheren and Bianca. Frustration and stress started to eat me alive once more.

I knew that I had to go to the Nacrene Museum, also known as the Nacrene Gym. I was hoping that Lenora would be able to beat me, yet I was anxious of the consequences.

I ran in the direction of the Nacrene Museum, tuning out all of the fighting and screaming around me.

Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice screech "No! You monsters! That was a cheap shot!"

I froze in place. _'Lenora..!' _I ran faster and sloppier, finding myself right outside the museum in mere seconds. I gasped at the sight.

I saw at least three dozen grunts surrounding the musem, all with a pokemon equipped.

_'Were all of them fighting her at once?!' _I wondered. _'That's so unfair!'_

I could barely make out Lenora in the sea of knights. She was slowly and cautiously stepping back towards the entrance to the museum. She was clenching her teeth in frustration. Suddenly, her eyes flew to me. Surprise and happiness now exploited her features.

"Oh no..." I muttered to myself. I was probably wide-eyed. _'She saw me..! I got her hopes up for no reason!'_ Unlike with the Striaton Brothers where they knew I was part of Team Plasma before I infiltrated the city, Lenora would think that I was here to help out.

"Hilda!" she called out, a smile on her face. "Help me, please!"

All heads shot to me.

I cursed under my breath. _'Why me..?'_ I thought with clenched teeth. Suddenly, an idea formed in my head. '_If I can't save Lenora, then I can't hold back, no matter how much I want to...'_ I'd use Lenora's blind trust, no matter how much I'd hate myself for it. I nodded. "I'm coming!"

She nodded and then looked down at something at her feet. "Braviary, return!" she called out as a red light illuminated the small clearing that the grunts left around her.

I snaked my way through the sea of befuddled grunts and stood in front of Lenora protectively. Without looking back, I commanded, "Lenora! Get inside and warn everyone! I'll hold them back!"

I assumed that she nodded. "Alright! I trust you, Hilda!" I heard her footsteps run into the gym.

Those words killed me.

I wondered why she didn't notice I was helping Team Plasma due to the insignia on my chest, but then I remembered that I wasn't in uniform. I scowled at myself. _'How many times must I disappoint people..?' _Remembering my earlier amusement with Gorm's short temper, I added, _'Good people, anyway.'_

The grunts looked at me, baffled. "Lady Hilda, are you betraying us?!" one spoke up fearfully.

"SH!" I shushed them harshly. I signaled for the five grunts closest to me to follow me, followed by a finger to the mouth to tell them to be quiet.

The five grunts looked at each other, confused, but nodded as they stepped forward and towards the entrance to the museum.

"The rest of you, finish up in the city," I commanded. "We'll handle the museum."

Their befuddled faces morphed back into their stone-cold emotionless expressions. They nodded and disbanded, scattering in different directions.

I turned back to the five grunts standing in the entry way. "Remember to be quiet and follow me," I warned as I walked into the museum, making sure to keep my steps mute.

I had to give the grunts credit; I didn't even sense their presence behind me. I took note that there was no one to welcome me at the counter. The museum didn't have anyone in it either. I noticed a few new exhibits as I walked around along with some missing since my last visit.

I quickened my pace and raced my way to the back of the museum and up the case of stairs, the grunts' and my footsteps echoing in the human-less museum. The six of us swarmed the entrance to the gym, to which I halted and held up a hand. They complied immediately.

Lenora, as I expected, was still in the gym. She was hastily looking through books on a distant shelf. She pulled one and the shelf sprang to life, moving aside and revealing a hidden staircase that changed in location every day. Once she descended and the shelf recovered the hole, I signaled to the grunts to follow me.

I made my way to the same bookcase and pulled out the same book, stepping aside when the bookcase started to move. It emitted a soothing humming sound as the ground around it slowly vibrated. The grunts' faces looked indifferent, only serious to their work.

_'They're looking forward to impounding Lenora,'_ I observed.

The humming stopped and the shelf locked in place, revealing the case of stairs that Lenora just went down. The grunts were about to descend until I stopped them.

"Wait," I snapped in a hushed tone. "Let me go first."

They nodded and stepped away from the stairs, clearing the entryway for me.

I jumped off the stepping stool and made my way to the staircase. When I hit the first step, I stopped and turned around. "Don't follow me immediately. Wait a minute or two," I warned harshly.

The five of them nodded again, looking at me with void facial expressions.

_'Just like robots,' _I deducted as I continued to go down the stairs.

I heard the bookcase hum to life as my main light source was slowly dying away. I continued my way down the staircase and started to hear voices. I decided to wait and eavesdrop before I rounded the corner.

"At least we closed the museum for renovations today!" a voice tried to reason. "That way, none of the staff got hurt!"

_'Is that Lenora's husband?' _I wondered.

"That's not the point..!" a voice claimed and sighed. "These scoundrels swarmed the city and I haven't been able to do anything about it!"

_'And that's Lenora.' _I chose that moment to step out from behind the corner and make my way down the stairs.

"Who's there?!" threatened Lenora's husband

They both relaxed when they saw it was only me.

"Oh, Hilda... You didn't lose, did you?" Lenora asked worriedly.

"In a sense, I did," I replied a little guiltily.

"Well... That's okay. We're severely outnumbered, and those grunts aren't battling fairly," Lenora recalled, scowling at her misfortune. "Did they gang up on you too?"

"Um... You can say that."

"Thankfully, my husband and I are the only ones in the gym," explained Lenora, "but because of this we can't help with the city!"

"You see... I may be a scientist, but I'm not a trainer," explained her husband. "I don't even have pokemon of my own."

I cringed. _'Just when he needed them most.'_

"Ironic for the spouse of a gym leader, isn't it?"

"And not only must I have to defend the city, but this place too!" Lenora exclaimed in frustration. "Team Plasma has threatened to overthrow the museum, too!"

"I bet they have..." I muttered to myself.

Lenora blinked. "Hilda, is something wrong?"

"Unfortunately... There is."

On cue, a faint humming sound filled the air.

"Do you hear that?" Lenora's husband murmured to us.

"They found us already..." cursed Lenora. "I thought it would've taken them a bit longer to find the right bookcase, considering I change the entrance every day..." Lenora's interest was piqued. "Speaking of that... Hilda, how did you find the location of the stairs so quickly?"

_'Silence is golden,'_ I relayed in my head as I waited for the inevitable.

I heard a myriad of footsteps stomping down to us. Grunts surrounded the exit in seconds. I didn't bother to turn around; I already knew who was behind me. Lenora and her husband stepped back, gulping in anxiety.

"My Lickilicky hasn't fainted yet!" growled Lenora. "Dear! Hilda! Go now while I hold them off!" She had a determined grimace on her face as she took out a pokeball from her pocket.

"But dear-"

"GO!" roared Lenora, cutting off her husband.

"Lady Hilda, what are your orders?" a grunt from behind me asked.

_'There goes my cover...'_ I had to refrain myself from face-palming. _'Seriously... How stupid can you be?'_

"Lady..?" Lenora and her husband echoed to themselves, a look of surprise on their faces.

"Seriously... Can you stop calling me that?" I requested, sighing at the given title. "And also... For future references, don't reveal me right in front of our enemies. I was on their good side."

"So... You're part of Team Plasma!" Lenora accused, her surprise replaced with anger.

I nodded. "Unfortunately, you had to come down and meet your husband here... These guys probably wouldn't have searched this place vigorously enough to find him on their own."

They both cringed at my revelation. Lenora's husband reluctantly asked, "What will you do now?"

"Well, first, I'll be taking Lenora's pokemon," I stated as I held out my hand. "Now, if you'll just give them to me, we'll be on our merry way." I mentally added, _'And I can do that glove trick like I did with Cress and Chili.'_

Lenora looked at me darkly. "And what makes you think I will?"

"The fact that all you have is a measly Lickilicky."

Lenora's face turned taut at my use of the word "measly." However, she seemed to have come to her senses. She knew she wouldn't win; not with all of the grunts out here.

"You can give me all of your pokemon now, or I can defeat your Lickilicky now and then forcefully take all of them," I offered. "Are you willing to let your Lickilicky faint for no reason?" I looked her in the eye, pleading with her to make a stand.

However, all I saw was defeat as she rustled through her pockets for her pokemon.

I frowned. _'Just like Chili and Cress... Though I wonder... Will she forgive me like they did?' _I hoped so.

She glared and then tossed her pokeballs at me. I was able to catch two of them, one in each hand without moving, but a couple of grunts behind me gasped and stumbled, trying to catch the other four.

"Was that a threat?!" one of the grunts roared.

I simply looked in his direction and shook my head at his stupidity.

The grunt got the message to back down and stepped back in place, followed by the rest of the grunts.

"So you have my pokemon," Lenora stated. "What now?" she challenged.

I shrugged. "Quite frankly, I'm not ranked high enough to make any choices as such," I informed them. "Basically, you'll just be under house arrest while I escort your husband out."

Lenora's face scrunched up in frustration, but she laughed it off. "Ha! And do you think that will really stop me?"

_'Nope,' _I thought with a smirk. _'Thankfully, it won't.'_ I shrugged. "I didn't come up with this supposed 'punishment.'"

Despite Lenora's angry demeanor, her husband calmed down seemed somewhat indifferent. "I'll leave now if all of you leave with me."

Lenora's eyes were wide as her mouth went agape. "But why?! You're giving in to Team Plasma?!"

There was a sad smile on her husband's face. "There's no need to sulk... It's not like Team Plasma will be here forever. I believe in you."

Lenora looked shocked but nodded. "Alright." She then turned to me. "Don't think I won't forget this."

I smiled at her strong spirit. "I don't expect you to."

Her scowl deepened as her husband brushed past her. Three of the five grunts surrounded him, two on his sides and one behind him, as the four of them walked back up the staircase.

"Well... Isn't this ironic?" Lenora hissed when the four went out of sight.

"Hm?"

"You saved one of my exhibits last time. Now you're taking them away."

_'Oh.' _I shrugged. "I suppose so."

Before we could continue our awkward conversation we heard footsteps descending the stairs, causing the four of us to snap our heads towards the stairs. Down came Gorm.

His head shot in my direction. "Where are her pokemon?"

I held up the two pokeballs that were still in both of my palms. I saw four hands extend beyond my position, also holding up pokeballs.

Gorm examined us closely. "Six... A full team?" he mused to himself. "You three! Give me her pokemon!"

I froze. _'Stupid, stupid, stupid!' _I scolded myself. _'Why didn't I at least hide her Lickilicky?!' _I wanted to slap myself in the face. _'I can't hide it now... Gorm already saw that she had six pokemon with her and he's standing right in front of me!'_ I reluctantly handed the two in my possession to him. _'But six... Maybe she has more,'_ I thought hopefully.

"The rest of you, assist with the collection of the exhibits," ordered Gorm to the grunts as he pointed to the staircase.

I saw Lenora tense up from the corners of my eyes.

The two grunts muttered, "Yes, Lord Gorm," and, "Understood," as they scurried their way up the stairs, leaving Gorm and I alone with Lenora.

Lenora scowled at Gorm. "You... I've seen you before, haven't I?

"Indeed we have, gym leader," replied Gorm. "I believe the Castelia gym leader and this one next to me hunted us down in Pinwheel Forest when we abducted the Dragon Skull."

_'This one..? Wait... Me?' _I questioned myself. _'Wait... I don't remember meeting Gorm before,'_ I thought, trying to recall any past events._ 'Pinwheel Forest...'_ I repeated._ 'Oh!' _I came to a realization. _'He's the first puffy hat guy that I met! Well, now that explains why he acted so hostile towards me earlier. Maybe he's still sore over the loss,' _I reasoned.

"Hilda here defeated all of your deployments, didn't she?" Lenora reminded him angrily. "Now, I wonder... What have you done to convince her to join you?"

Gorm didn't seem willing to tell her why. "Do not change the topic, gym leader. You may be able to fool someone as absent minded as her, but not me."

_'Did Gorm just call me 'absent minded..?''_ I thought with an amused smile. _'Heh. Ironic, isn't it?'_

"You shouldn't be so smug in the presence of Team Plasma," warned Gorm. He didn't seem annoyed or angered in the slightest. It was obvious that he was just trying to set a role of dominence. "Get out your pokemon," he told me. "If she will not comply, then you will have to coerce her into submission."

_'Does this guy ever battle on his own?'_ I wondered as I reluctantly nodded as I searched my satchel for any of my pokemon. However, I was stopped when Lenora started speaking. I almost forgot that she was here too.

"I don't have any more! They're in my PC!" snapped Lenora forcefully. "You have taken my whole team, and you have no more business here. Leave!"

Gorm pursed his lips as I looked up at him, waiting for further orders. "Very well."

I felt my eyes widen in surprise. _'What? He believed her that easily?!' _I honestly didn't have any objections, but it still came as a shock. When I looked over Lenora, she looked surprised at Gorm's submission as well.

"We'll be taking everything in your museum nonetheless," he informed her causally. "If you are hiding anything, we'll be bound to find it."

Lenora's eyes arched in anger, but she restrained herself. It was obvious that she wanted to lash at Gorm, but she knew well enough that if she did, she'd be in more trouble than she was now.

"Come, fellow subject of our king." With that said, Gorm turned around, his flowing robe elegantly astir behind him, as he trekked up the staircase.

_'I... Have a name,'_ I thought awkwardly as I sent Lenora one final silent plead and followed him up the stairs. _'It doesn't make up for it, but I'm really sorry that my stupidity caused you to lose your main team...'_

Gorm waited for me to follow him up the stairs. "You no longer have any business here. You are welcome to leave when you wish."

With nothing left to do, I decided to take a shot in the dark. "Um... Lord Gorm, you said that we were going to take everything in the museum?"

Gorm nodded without saying a word.

"Why?" I questioned.

"That is not for you to know," replied Gorm indifferently. It didn't seem as if it was some sort of secret, yet again, he wasn't simply keeping me in the dark just for the fun of it.

"Uh huh..." I replied, unsure of what else to say. _'Clearly, he himself doesn't know why; that, or it's just not worth worrying about,' _I thought. _'Why was I needed here in the first place?'_

Gorm continued to stand stationery, staring off into the distance.

_'Isn't he going to go into the main room..?'_ I wondered. I waited one more second, but he still didn't move. "Alright then... Um... Bye?" I said, unsure if I needed to say anything else. I scratched my head as they all left me alone. _'Seriously... Why was I needed here in the first place again?' _Sighing, I exited the gym and found myself in the museum.

From the canopy, I saw about a dozen grunts trying to take down a large Armaldo fossil together. They didn't seem to spot me, so I ignored them as I descended the stairs and raced to the exit of the museum.

As soon as I stepped one foot out, the Shadow Triad appeared before me. "..."

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck go up in surprise, but my nonchalant demeanor remained. The silence was taking an awkward toll on me. I scratched the back of my head. "Uh..."

"... Come." With that, they started escorting me away to someplace at a breakneck pace.

I was too startled to say anything or object as I followed them just like last time, power-walking like an idiot. Also like last time, I was unable to see ahead of me. I was able to make out the sounds of yelling commands and other loud noises, leading me to believe that there was still fighting going on. I'd look around me, but I feared that if I looked away, I'd lose track of the Shadow Triad, despite the fact that they gave me no personal space whatsoever.

After about a minute, I noticed that we weren't in Nacrene City anymore. _'Route 3..?'_

The Shadow Triad member in front of me stopped short, almost making me bump into him again. He moved out of the way and walked behind me, making me wonder why they were still here anyway.

I noticed that we were right outside the entrance into Pinwheel Forest. To my left, there was a fence with an opening leading to some patches of grass. I noticed N crouching down in front of some grass, along with something jumping in front of him. However, before I could even identify it, the thing scurried away in the patch of grass, disappearing from my field of vision.

"You're very welcome," hummed N into the patch of grass. "I can see why you'd be happy to be liberated from all of that." N stood up.

The Shadow Triad behind me took the opportunity to announce our presences. "... My Lord N, we brought the one you wanted." With that, the three of them disappeared.

N had a smile on his face, but his eyes looked distant. "You just missed it. I just liberated the Timburrs from Accumula Town," he informed me. Suddenly, his facial expression turned gloomy as he looked down at the six pokeballs in his hand. "The things they've told me... It's quite terrible, actually."

I nodded, not knowing what to say._  
_

"I can already understand things other people can't understand," explained N. He was most likely referring to how he could understand pokemon. "However, I... Want to see things no one else can see. The truths of pokemon inside pokeballs. The ideals of how trainers should be."

_'He seems pretty conflicted,'_ I realized. _'I guess being the King of an evil organization can be stressful in more ways than one.'_

"And a future where pokemon have become perfect..." he finished, looking up at the sky with some sort of longing feel to it. He then looked me in the eye. "Do you feel the same?"

_'I can relate to that feeling,'_ I admitted. _'The truths of pokemon inside pokeballs and the ideals of how trainers should be... But a future where pokemon have become perfect?_' I pursed my lips. It was a simple "yes" or "no" question, yet I was finding myself just as conflicted as N was. I finally came up with the question, "What is your definition of 'perfect?'"

My question seemed to baffle N as he just considered to stare at me with slightly wider eyes.

_'I didn't say the wrong thing, did I?'_ I wondered worriedly, waiting for N to respond.

N blinked once, twice, and then finally came back to his senses. He seemed to have been in a stupor of some kind. "Is that your answer..? If so, I would like to test you to see if you can see this future too."

_'Some definition,'_ I thought sarcastically. _'He didn't even answer the question,'_ I noticed. _ Yet again... Neither did I,' _I added sheepishly.

N turned back to the patch of grass. It looked like he was looking for something. "Pokemon are my friends... I feel that they are the perfection of the world."

His assertion didn't surprise me, yet it wasn't what I was expecting to hear. _'This conversation is so random...'_ I decided. I then reflected back on earlier events. _'Heck, this whole day was random.'_

"However... They will never be perfect under the captivity of trainers," N decided, his voice getting a little more stern.

"Really?" I questioned skeptically. "You don't think so?"

N shook his head. "Not at all."

"But you don't think some pokemon have bettered themselves under the supervision of trainers?" I questioned again. "From Team Plasma, I know that you believe pokemon are being tortured under the care of trainers... Tell me. You haven't met _one _person who saw pokemon as more than a tool? Aren't you a trainer as well?" Realizing that I was just pointlessly rambling on, I instantly shut up.

N's back was still turned to me, but I was sure that he was a bit surprised at my words. It took him a moment to respond. "True... I have met you, and I haven't forgotten your Tepig or your Lillipup."

_'I still don't think we were that memorable,'_ I countered in my head, _'but okay...'_

"However..! Pokemon will never be truly free with trainers! Have you forgotten that construction worker from Accumula Town already?" he shot back. He shook his head. "The abuse that those Timburrs went through... Their words will forever haunt my thoughts. Imagine! There are many more pokemon like that! Some even worse off!" He wasn't exactly yelling, but there was a sense of empowerment in his voice.

"What about your own pokemon?" I interrupted.

"..." N ruminated on my words. "It's unfair to them that I am keeping them locked up like this..." He sounded ashamed. "As soon as this whole ordeal is over and Team Plasma conquers Unova, I'll be sure to make everyone release their pokemon! I've beaten the elite four and the champion, and I am now unbeatable!"

"All of this is to better the lives of pokemon, right?" I asked hesitantly.

N nodded, still looking at the vast patches of grass.

"Then have you ever considered..." I started, unsure if I should point it out or not. "That by liberating pokemon, you are only ruining their lives?" I finished. _'Wait... I phrased that wrong.'_

Before I could rephrase it, I saw N tense up.

I shrunk back a little. _'Me and my mouth...'_

"And _why _would you accuse such a thing?" His voice was sinister, but in a tamed form of rage.

"I phrased that wrong," I sheepishly added in. However, N didn't comment on it. "It's just that... Trainers and pokemon, friend and friend... You don't think that the pokemon you are liberating have created strong bonds of friendship with their trainers?" I questioned temptingly. _'After all... I am speaking from experience.'_

N turned around and looked me in the eye. He wore a facial expression that I couldn't decipher. His eyes were just as unreadable. There was a glint in it, but I couldn't tell what it meant.

"And by liberating them, you're hurting both the trainer and the pokemon."

N blinked. "That may be so, but have _you _ever considered that these bonds were only the cruel effects of stockholm syndrome?"

I froze. I had to admit that N got me on that one. "But Zekrom willingly befriended you, didn't it?" I asked. "And I saw you and your Vanillite... He really admires you."

N's face saddened. "Vanillish... I wonder why..."

I cocked my head in confusion. _'What is he talking about?'_ I wondered. _'Wait... Vanillish? Oh, he evolved!' _I smiled at the thought. '_But still... What's N talking about?'_

N shook his head. "In due time, I will also liberate my own pokemon!" he declared.

"But what about your pokemon team?" I condemned. "I haven't met all of them, but I'm sure that they'd be heartbroken to part with you!" I reasoned. _'Maybe I can make him see... Then he'll stop this liberation thing before even more people get separated from pokemon,'_ I thought hopefully, recalling the bitter look on Lenora's face. _'She was fighting this whole time and I wasn't even there to witness it...' _I thought regretfully.

N blinked, again surprised at my words, but his facial expression saddened again. "Like I said... Pokemon are held back by us trainers. They can never be perfect within our captivity."

"Then why?"

N looked me dead in the eye, and it felt like we were the only things in existence for the next few seconds. "Friends have to show friends the right way. It's an ideal that I live by, and with that, I can make the lives of pokemon better."

_''Friends have to show friends the right way...''_ I repeated in my head. It was as if N had just enlightened me with only a few trivial words.

N turned around again. "If you are so opposed to the idea of pokemon liberation, then why did you accept my proposal?"

"I, uh..." I started off awkwardly. _'I don't believe Ghetsis would want me to reveal the main reason. If I tell N the other reason, it'll ruin all the fun.'_ And I couldn't bring myself to admit it, but I didn't want to tell N that one of the reasons for my joining was to spy on them to bring them down. For some reason, I didn't want to offend N. Blurting out the first thing that came to my head, I answered, "I wanted to try and see the light of your reasoning."

N nodded, seemingly content with my answer. "I see... Then come here tomorrow, preferably early." He then walked out into the tall grass before I could get another word in.

_'Um... Okay then...' _I thought awkwardly. _'N is just an emotional roller coaster, isn't he?'_

* * *

I contemplated on whether I should go back to the museum or not.

I highly doubted that the motley crew of a dozen grunts had finished taking out the whole exhibit by now, and Lenora was probably still sulking in the basement. I would visit her in due time, but not at the moment.

I also wondered if I should visit the Striaton brothers and see how things were going, but it was only a day. I didn't want to disturb them, so I ruled that out too.

Instead, I decided to explore around Route 3; when I was late for the raid in Nacrene, I sped right through it. I was curious of what Team Plasma did to the daycare, so I trekked my way over there.

I noticed that there were pokemon around in the grass like normal, but no trainers.

_'I must've been really out of it if I'm just noticing this now,' _I decided as I continued to go to the daycare.

At first glance, nothing was off about it; the kids were playing and the caretakers were supervising. However, I noticed that the daycare man wasn't standing outside of the pokemon daycare like he usually was, nor were there pokemon behind the fenced out area.

I wondered if they did anything to the daycare man. Feeling a bit protective, I entered the building for the pokemon daycare. I was a bit relieved to see the old couple sitting down at a table. Upon seeing me, the old man's face lit up.

"Oh, it's you!" he called out. "Such a tragic thing has happened!"

I solemnly nodded my head.

"Who's this?" questioned the daycare lady.

"This?" the old man repeated. "This is the trainer that saved me from Team Plasma in Nimbasa City!"

The old lady adopted a warm smile at the claim. "I would offer you our services, but sadly... Team Plasma came here yesterday and took all of the pokemon."

"Even the ones that weren't ours!" the old man continued as he shook his head. "Oh, their trainers will be so disappointed..!"

"It's not your fault," I reasoned, feeling bad for them. _'There's no way I'm telling that guy that I'm an admin.'_

The couple sighed.

"I just wished that I could have done more," the old man informed me. He shook his head again as he walked to the counter. "They even took our PC system."

"I wonder how we'll get by now," wondered the daycare lady. She sighed.

_'So much sighing..!' _I felt a little nervous. _'This is a bit depressing!'_

I heard a sound come from behind the counter. I snapped my head in its direction. "What was that?"

"Oh, nothing..." shrugged off the daycare man. He popped up from behind the counter and had something in his hands. "Team Plasma didn't take all of the pokemon, thankfully."

My eyes widened. _'They really couldn't get all of them?' _Then I remembered that the daycare wasn't part of any major city, nor was it a main attraction; with those characteristics, it wouldn't be getting much attention.

The daycare man came to me and held out his hand. "For you, please. Take it."

My mouth was agape. "You aren't serious, are you?"

"Why, of course I am!" the old man snapped jocosely. "You're a strong trainer, and if you're here now, that means that they've already taken your pokemon, haven't they?"

I hesitated before nodding, feeling just a bit guilty for having to lie.

"Is that..?"

The old man nodded, humming an "mhm." He waited for me to take the pokeball before explaining what it was and how he managed to save it. "You see, this Munna was given to me by Professor Fennel in Striaton City..."

My eyes widened a little. _'She owned a Munna..?'_

"There was something off about this Munna... He can't produce dream mist," explained the daycare lady. "Professor Fennel gave him to us, hoping that we can help it."

"The poor thing was exhausted all the time!" explained the old man. "That's why we kept him in his pokeball all the time."

"Seeing how this _is _a daycare, we always have the pokemon in our care roam free in the yard we made," continued the old lady. "That's why Team Plasma never expected us to have a pokemon in a pokeball around here."

I sighed in awe. _'So there are more people who are willing to oppose.'_

"Pokemon liberation... Bah!" spit the old man. "Back in my day, we never needed pokeballs. They stayed with us willingly!" He then glanced to the side. "Or, mine at least..."

I nodded. _'I wouldn't mind listening to your stories, but I don't think now's a good time...'_ I silently apologized to him. "So, what do you want me to do with this Munna? Give him to Professor Fennel or keep him?"

"Whatever you wish," offered the old lady.

"It doesn't matter, so long as you run Team Plasma out!" bellowed the old man. "I'd leave now if I were you; from time to time, grunts come in and check on us!"

_'We wouldn't want that to happen...'_ I smiled at the couple's kindness. "Thank you, really. I promise, I'll help run Team Plasma out of Unova."

The old man gave me an approving nod. "I knew from the second that you saved me from Team Plasma that you'd be the one to do something about them."

_'But unfortunately... All I've been doing lately was helping them.'_

* * *

I decided to give Fennel her Munna back tomorrow.

I made a mental list of what I had to do; wake up early, visit Striaton brothers, visit Lenora, meet up with N.

_'Oh, and go to Route 1,'_ I added in. _'Wouldn't want the same mistake to happen again.' _Humoring Gorm was probably only funny the first time.

Striaton City was back to normal, or at the very least, calmer than it was yesterday. The only difference was the absence of walking pokemon. There were two grunts guarding the doors to the gym, but I noticed that they were the only ones that I spotted.

On my way back to Accumula, I noticed that Route 2 was back to its normal lively self. Yes, there were grunts posted to inspect people traveling from Accumula Town to Striaton City and vice-versa, but the pokemon were back scurrying in the grass. The walking passerbyers, though not trainers, filled the void of the people who were usually out here.

It was then that I noticed that out the handful of people that were on Route 2, most of them were heading towards Accumula Town. That struck me as rather odd until I looked up at the sky. It wasn't night, but the sky was a warm orange. I didn't realize it was this late.

I attempted to skip through the checkout again, but one grunt didn't want to let me through. I wondered why until I remembered that I wasn't in uniform. Right before I was about to reprimand the grunt for not recognizing superiors, as Rood had claimed that members had to know, the other grunt at the checkout harshly warned him that I was the new admin, and I was coaxed through with frantic apologies.

When I traveled back to Nuvema Town, I noticed that there were more pokemon than there were over the past few days. They were all audinos, lillipups, patrats, and any of their evolutions. I wondered how many, if any, were a trainer's pokemon. Yet again, the whole thing didn't seem like a population growth. The absence of pokemon in the past few days was due to Team Plasma's excessive trafficking. That led me to another question.

Where did all of the "liberated" pokemon go?

I ignored my inquiries, intent on getting some training with my normal team. I routinely skipped the line of people entering Nuvema Town and dragged my feet back to my house.

_'So much walking...' _I thought dreadfully.

I opened my door and uncaringly slammed it closed. I tossed my satchel full of berries onto the counter, not bothering to pick up the berries and satchel that fell. I plopped myself onto the couch, deciding to rest from all the walking before setting out to my secret training spot.

That was when I noticed a box on the coffee table. Curious, I sat up and opened it.

The contents of what was inside surprised me.

"A case if max potions and full heals?!" Well, I certainly didn't expect those. _'Who put them here? And how did he or she know I needed them..?'_

* * *

**Advancing Overture : End**

* * *

I'm really sick and tired of my page randomly reloading or closing or whatever else it does. Does anyone know any free programs that work like Word so I don't keep losing my progress? Thanks.

If you're ever wondering why some people don't get names, like grunts or that gym challenger from last chapter, I have two reasons. A minor one is because I'm not confident that I'd make a good OC, but that alone wouldn't impair me from attempting. The main reason why I don't give names is that I feel that it would give unimportant characters characterization.

Time to get this out of the way : The scene with N and Hilda wasn't intended to be romance (but if you want it to be, feel free to interpret it that way). It was friendship (which I guess romance is a type of, but they're only friends in my fanfiction, unless all of you guys really want it to be romance, tell me for future references. I know that one of you guys wants some). N is venting to Hilda because, as stated at in previous chapters, he somewhat admired her after meeting her in Accumula Town due to her bond with her pokemon. He hinted that Hilda is his attempt at trying to make a human friend (because he sees commonalities with her). Now, when Hilda says that she didn't want to offend N, it's because she's starting to realize that he's not as crude as everyone else in Team Plasma is and that his intentions are actually innocent, as opposed to many in Team Plasma. When she feels like they're the only two in existence, it was N's words, not N looking into her eyes. Seriously, I would've written the scene exactly the same if it was Hilbert. All I would do is switch the name "Hilda" with "Hilbert." Then is it romance? ... Don't answer that.

Also, try to envision Hilda's actions in a different perspective. I forgot exactly what I wrote, but at one point, she smiled to herself, admiring Lenora's strong spirit. However, she said something else the next second (I forgot what she said, but it was something that Lenora didn't like), and Lenora scowled. In Lenora's perspective, Hilda's being a jerk by finding amusement in her misfortune.

Lenora does have a Braviary and Lickilicky in the PWT. It's part of her strongest team, so I included Braviary and Lickilicky just to show that she did try her hardest. However, she was immensely outnumbered and there were about 36 pokemon on her at once, so... yeah.

Originally, Burgh was going to be in this chapter. He came to Nacrene City (without his pokemon) for the museum to try and get inspiration for another opus. He said some pretty observant stuff. I think it fits better in this chapter, but I'll bring it over to the next and tweak it a bit and hope it works out better...

I realize that I'm not exactly going by levels and moves in my fanfiction, but I figured it would make sense in Purrloin's case. For a Purrloin, the only move they know at birth is scratch, and then growl at level 3.

I just realized that Gorm, in game, says that he's one of the seven sages, so it shouldn't have been an enigma of what the seven sages were to Hilda (but yes to Bianca and Cheren). He also introduced himself, but I can just use the excuse that Hilda forgot who he was. I mean, they only meet each other once, and I'd imagine that Hilda only saw him as a puffy hat wearer (Should I go back and change it though?). And I know that Gorm isn't nearly as excitable as I made him out to be in this chapter, but imagine the stress that must be on him. Ghetsis did give him a few responsibilities only the day prior. Also, Hilda's the one who defeated his grunts when they stole the Dragon Skull (whether they needed it in the end or not, defeat is defeat).

Gorm not moving was me trying to reference the games. You know how sometimes a character says, "You go _[insert action]_,and I'll stay here/go _[Insert Place]_ and _[insert second action]_!" yet no matter how many times you talk to them, they stay there and do nothing?

I forgot if I put this in an author's note already, but whenever Hilda feels "uneasy," that's her subconsciously sensing that the Shadow Triad is following her. It isn't until she relaxes or something similar happens that they stop following her. This time around, the Shadow Triad stalked Hilda and found out that she was low on healing ailments. They most likely reported this to Ghetsis or N (whichever one of them ordered them to follow her) who, realizing that she was training for Team Plasma, gave her something so that she wouldn't hold back.

Sorry if the daycare scene seemed unnecessary... I was honestly just trying to find things that Hilda would use to kill time before returning home. I also needed some sort of factor that would get Hilda to interact with Fennel.

Alright... So I've decided to give out all of the pokemon's genders. I think I've been writing "he" or "it" for all of them, with the exception of Swanna. From now on, they'll be set.  
_Swanna - Female_  
_Boldore - Female_  
_Simisage - Male_  
_Stoutland - Male_  
_Emboar - Male_  
Purrloin - Male  
Krookodile - Female  
Trubbish - Male  
Watchog - Male  
Scraggy - Male  
_Genesect - Genderless (referred to as "it," "itself," etc.)  
_Pokemon from N's team or other characters will be based off of their official team from their games. For example, I believe N (with the exception of Zekrom and Klang) has all males. There's really nothing significant about their genders, but it's really been biting at me how I haven't given each pokemon a specific one. Too long didn't read?_  
_

Last chapter, the name suggestion thing was kinda a joke. The thing I've noticed is that most fanfictions (although I have yet to read one that doesn't) that have the female protagonist as the main character and have her named "Touko" or "White" makes her the weeping damsel in distress with stockholm syndrome that cries every time her boyfriend leaves her, give or take. Now, this is okay, but I'm not into romance stories and that's not really the direction I want to go with my fanfiction because romance isn't really a big part in this. Plus, from her artwork, I never took Hilda to be that sensitive. I feel like because of those fanfictions, the name itself represents those characteristics, and to be honest, I think of her in that way every time I see the name "White" or "Touko." It's probably just me (no, it's definitely just me), but that's one of the main reasons why I chose her english name. The other reason? Simply because it's her official name.

And all of you have my sincerest apologies on the updating time. It took me a whole four days to get this chapter out. I'm really sorry guys, hopefully I can get back on track and make it two days again. Well, at least it's better than a six day wait...

Wow... Lots of author's note this chapter O.o

One final thing (If any of you are actually still reading this, LOL) : I was thinking about whether I should rewrite/edit my old chapters. I think that my writing has improved (albeit not by much) and that it doesn't match with my new word count of over 10k words. Do you guys think I should fix my older chapters? It would cause a delay in newer chapters being released, but maybe by fixing the old ones, it could help the story? Do any of you think I actually need to fix it? I'm an amateur writer, so I don't know. (There wouldn't be any dire changes, so there wouldn't be any need to reread them. If there are changes that matter, I would post the scene in the author's note.)

Sorry for the extremely long author's note!

KawaiiJoltic : Thanks as always! Yeah, the way I saw Looker was that he'd try anything to get out of a hard spot, including acting like a moron. I'm actually starting to like him too, but it's too bad we're probably not going to see him in a while. But now that you point out your headcannon thing, I can actually see it happening. As for the dream mist thing... I forgot about that -.- Do you think I should go back and change it? And yeah, I'm not a fan of the name "Hilda" myself, but I always name the protagonists by their official names (or if I don't know it, I name him/her "-NAME-"). Changing it at this point would take a lot of patience, something which I don't have (lol). By the way, my story isn't anything you've listed. When I reread it sometimes, I find a lot of mistakes that I missed when I did a final edit and a lot of seemingly filler scenes. And I appreciate the attempt, but I highly doubt it's one of the greatest works you've seen on this site. And one more thing. **Stop thanking me! **It should be the other way around. Thank _you _a trillion times over.

Remepie : Somehow, I doubt that any of the things you said are true, but thank you nonetheless. It really does mean a lot that you'd say that. And some N/Hilda? To be honest, I wasn't planning on romance. However, I have a couple of scenes with them thought out that can be thought of as romantic in a way. Kinda like a budding relationship if you know what I mean. I don't plan on ferriswheelshipping at the moment, but if a lot of my few readers want it, I'd be happy to make some N/Hilda scenes later on. Thanks for following, favoriting, and reviewing! I hope I can write up to your expectations.

DigimonLoveForever : Good to know that not everyone hates her name, lol. I don't think the story is amazing, but the fact that you've said it is motivating. Thanks for reviewing!

pokelover619 : If only you gave me that wonderful idea earlier O.o Quite frankly, I don't have the patience to go back and change her name. That message last chapter was kinda jocose, but seriously, that was a great idea that you doled out. And thanks for the reviews!


	14. Stall or Aid?

**Chapter 14 : Stall or Aid?**

* * *

Today, I made sure to wake up early.

N wanted to meet up with me moderately early, but I still had some chores to do. Training either of my teams wouldn't be a problem; I trained both of them yesterday. However, I still needed to check up on the Striaton brothers and Lenora. Not to mention see if Gorm had anything for me on Route 1.

I sat up from my bed, not bothering to make it, and then changed into my uniform. I reached under my bed and pulled out my Team Plasma team and clipped them onto my belt.

I trudged down the stairs and out of my house. When I walked to Route 1, I didn't see anyone on the streets, so I wondered just how early I woke up. Save for the two grunts at the checkup to Route 1 of course.

When I finally made it to the meeting spot, I was surprised yet confused to see a mere grunt. Upon seeing me, he bowed.

I cringed. "Really... There's no need for formalities," I assured him.

The grunt merely shook his head at the notion. "Lady Hilda, Lord N requests that you do not wear your Team Plasma uniform."

I raised an eyebrow. "Did he say why?" I really wasn't looking forward to trekking back to my house.

The grunt shook his head. "No, he didn't. However, he said you should bring it with you."

"Oh, alright..." I couldn't help but wonder why. "Do I have to do anything else?"

"Not that I know of," replied the grunt. "That's all I've been told to tell you." With that, he bowed and jogged away towards Accumula Town.

"Alright then..." I muttered as I groggily marched back to my house. _'This is such a drag...'_

I routinely unchanged, changed, packed my Team Plasma team into my satchel, marched back downstairs, back through Nuvema Town and Route 1, then Accumula Town, Route 2, and then I finally reached Striaton city. By this time, I was already sulking in the tediousness. I noticed that there were a few people out in Striaton City, but they all seemed like they had work to attend to.

I reconsidered not going to the gym, wondering if Cilan, Chili, and Cress were even awake. _'But then... What if I don't get another opportunity to visit them?'_

I made my way to the gym. Thankfully there were no grunts outside, so I welcomed myself in without having to make any excuses. The first curtain was down again, leading to believe that Chili and Cress might be training, but I didn't hear anything.

Deciding to brand myself crazy, I called out, "Hello? I'm here looking for the gym leaders. You see, I have something they may want to hear."

I heard footsteps running in my direction, but when the curtain opened, I saw Amanita.

"Oh, um... Where are Cilan, Chili, and Cress?" I asked awkwardly. _'She still doesn't know about how I'm a rogue admin. Should I tell her?'_

"Oh, they're still asleep," she answered indifferently. "They were up all night training!"

I raised an eyebrow. _'So they told them? Amanita doesn't seem too bothered by the_ news,' I observed. _'_Oh_ well... Everything's out in the clear now then.'_

"Cress was even able to make his Lillipup evolve into a Herdier!" Amanita announced proudly.

"I see, that's good news," I replied with a smile. "So, did they have anything they said they might want to give to me?"

Amanita shook her head. "Nu-uh... Not that I know of."

"Oh, alright then... Then I'll get going," I announced as I turned around. I halted when I remembered that I had Fennel's Munna. I turned around. "Oh, I have one more thing. Is Professor Fennel awake yet? I have something she may want."

Amanita looked curious. "Oh, no. She was up last night with the gym leaders trying to come up with a plan to-" Suddenly, Amanita cut herself short. She coughed and scratched her head. "Evolve Panpour and Pansear without evolutionary stones?" She was clearly hiding something, but I decided not to pry. If it was anything I should know, I knew that one of the Striaton brothers would tell me eventually.

"Oh, that's right... They need evolutionary stones, don't they?" I mused to myself. _'Didn't Cheren and Bianca find shiny stones in the forest?'_ I made a mental note to check it out later.

"But why do you need the Professor?" questioned Amanita. Her tone was purely curious.

"You see, when I visited the daycare yesterday, the daycare couple told me that Professor Fennel dropped off a Munna," I explained. "I'm here to give him back to her."

Amanita's eyes widened. "You have the Professor's Munna?!" she squeaked. "How much?!" she asked eagerly.

I sent her a questioning look. _''How much..?' Did she have more than one Munna?'_

Amanita seemed to sense my confusion. "Cress and Chili said you returned their pokemon after they bribed you right? So how much for the Professor's Munna?"

I put on a stupidly wide grin. _'Was that their excuse? That they bribed me?' _It took me all my might to not let out a single chuckle. Suppressing a laugh, I replied, "Um... You, uh, didn't how much of a gold mine they gave me last time..! Th-This one's on the house!" It was ridiculous how everything seemed funny to me while I was tired.

Amanita looked at me quizzically but shrugged off my odd behavior. She beamed when I handed her Fennel's Munna. "Oh, the Professor will be so happy!"

Suddenly, someone came out from behind the draped curtains. He looked semi-surprised to see me. "Hilda..? You're here today?" asked Cilan. "You, um, didn't come yesterday, so we assumed that you wouldn't be here for... Um, a while."

I nodded, a bit surprised to see him. "Amanita told me that you two were still asleep from training for so long."

Cilan shook his head. "I don't have my pokemon, remember?"

I bowed my head sympathy. "Oh, right..." I sheepishly recalled.

"So, I'm going to go show the Professor her Munna!" Amanita announced excitedly as she ran behind another curtain and out of her sight.

"So... Exactly how much did you pay me last time?" I asked jocosely with a cheeky grin. "I don't recall receiving any money, so should I assume that you guys have a tab?"

"Oh, um, that..." Cilan replied with a shy smile. "That was off the top of our heads." Cilan scratched the back of his head. "Um... How much time do you have?"

I shrugged. "As much as I need. Why?"

"Um... Two days ago, Professor Fennel received some secret files from Team Plasma," explained Cilan.

I was compelled to ask why, but I didn't want to cut him off and get him off track.

"She discovered that there's this super weapon that they're building out of a pokemon," he continued. "By the way... You still have Professor Fennel's dream mist, right?"

I nodded and patted my satchel. "Right in here."

"Oh, good..."

"Do you remember anything else about this pokemon?" I asked. _'Building a super weapon out of a pokemon?'_

"It had a name... I think that it was called 'The Genesect Project,' or something similar," he informed me unsurely. "It's an artificial pokemon."

My eyes widened. _'Genesect..? It was an experiment?'_

"Hilda... Do you know anything about this?"

I shook my head. "While I don't know anything about it, I did release it."

Cilan looked befuddled. "What do you mean?"

"Before I 'joined' Team Plasma, I did some snooping around," I explained. "I found their secret laboratory. It was small, but it had one interesting thing about it. In this corner, there was a giant base of some liquid with a robot looking thing in it. It had the name 'Genesect' engraved in a plate below it."

Cilan nodded, taking everything in. "So what happened to it?"

I pursed my lips, trying to remember every detail. "It kinda struggled in the basin, and each time it did, it was given an electric shock. When I let it free, it grew a jet pack and bolted out of the lab."

"Anything else?" Cilan asked eagerly.

"I noticed some broken glass on the floor next to it and some broken pokeballs as well," I recalled. "I think that they were trying to capture it, but failed."

Cilan mused to himself, "Professor Fennel will be interested to hear this..."

I suddenly remembered that Professor Fennel was given some things that helped her find out about Genesect. "Say, Cilan... Where exactly did Professor Fennel get this information from?"

"Oh, um... One of Fennel's old assistants, I think, gave it to her," replied an unsure Cilan. "Apparently, they're hiding in the Dream Yard."

"Is that so..?" I wondered to myself.

"If you're um, thinking of going... Can you pass on the information?" requested Cilan.

I nodded. "Of course. But I'm not going today," I informed him. "You see, we just took over Nacrene City yesterday, and I still haven't been able to contact Lenora, post Plasma invasion if you know what I mean."

"Already..?" Cilan wondered to himself, bewildered that the next raid would happen so quickly. Shaking his head, he replied a nonchalant, "Oh, of course," to my plans. Cilan didn't look the least bit troubled. "Just, if you can... If you can't, it's no big deal, er, I think. But did you say that you were going to go to Lenora?"

I nodded. "Yup. Did you want to pass on something to her?"

Cilan dug through his pockets and handed me a piece of paper. It was the same one that I gave to them two days ago. "We weren't able to decipher what it meant... Maybe Lenora knows."

_'He has a point,' _I agreed. I nodded. "Alright. I just hope she's willing to forgive me though..."

Cilan looked at me quizzically. "Why wouldn't she?"

I pursed my lips, not wanting to recall my act of betrayal. "Just because of what happened..." I kept my answer bland.

Cilan seemed to get the hint and gave me a stern nod. "Alright."

"So anyway, give the others my regards," I said as I headed for the door.

"Come back when you need to," Cilan called out when I left.

I held up a hand in acknowledgment as the large gym doors closed. _'It's a shame I couldn't save any of his pokemon...'_

* * *

After some more long walking, I finally found myself in Nacrene City in front of the dreaded Nacrene Gym.

_'Unlike the Striaton Brothers, I hardcore betrayed Lenora...'_ I relayed to myself, feeling my eyes arch in guiltiness. _'But even if she doesn't forgive me, I have to at least reveal myself. If she chooses to out me... Then, so be it.'_

Sighing, I opened the museum door. It just wasn't the same not seeing the ladies at the counter. The whole museum was emptied out too, not a single exhibit left in place. However, I did hear a faint buzzing coming from one of the back rooms.

_'I always wondered what was behind there...'_ I hopped over the counter and ventured into the back room, the thought of "privacy" not even occurring to me.

I saw Lenora bending down by a machine. Her head shot up upon sensing that someone was in the room with her. She looked in all directions until she laid her eyes on me, a dour expression taking place over her face.

I inwardly sighed. _'This is even more awkward than when I met with the Striaton brothers...'_

Lenora just continued to glare at me, expecting me to say something.

_'Another stare-down? Great...'_ I looked away and scratched on the back of my head. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "So, um... Whatcha' doing?" I asked awkwardly as I rolled on my heels and put my hands behind my back. _'Really..? That's the best I could come up with?'_

"I suppose you're going to punish me for this, aren't you?" she spat out angrily.

I could feel an awkward bead of sweat rolling down the back of my head. I wasn't nervous, just embarrassed. _'Yeah, she's never going to forgive me...' _I pursed my lips before choking out a "no." I didn't want to say the wrong thing; the last thing I wanted was an even bigger drift between Lenora and I. _'I mean, she said she trusted me! What a slap to the face!'_

Lenora raised a suspicious eyebrow but still remained cautious. "Then why are you here?" she demanded.

I sighed. "Look, I'm really sorry..." Then I paused. _'... What was I supposed to do now?' _I shook my head. _'Man... I really shouldn't have stayed out training as long as I did.'_

Lenora looked confused at my apology, but said nothing of it. She continued to glare at me with expectancy, anticipating me to explain. It was clear that she hadn't forgiven me.

_'I highly doubt she'd believe that I'm against Team Plasma... I don't have anything to prove it,'_ I decided, still beating myself up for not saving her pokemon. _'But Cilan still wanted me to pass on this note,' _I thought as I dug through my satchel for the note. I took it out and handed it to her.

She took it cautiously and eyed it down, visually befuddled. "What is this?" she asked guardedly without prying her eyes off of the paper.

"That's what I'd like to know..." I claimed, flicking some hair from out of my face. "You see, a spy gave this to me, saying it would interest me, but I didn't know what it meant. It's just a circle with the word 'Nacrene' under it, and another word that I can't comprehend."

"And why are you giving it to me?" she snarled.

"I gave it to the Striaton brothers, but they didn't know either," I explained. "They thought you might."

Lenora looked genuinely confused. "Why would _they _assist Team Plasma?"

_'Oh_,_ right... I didn't tell her.'_ I looked around the room, not knowing where to rest my gaze. I noticed a lot of machinery around. "You see, I'm not in Team Plasma because I want to be... That spy was helping me to try and take down Team Plasma."

Lenora didn't look convinced.

'_Just as I thought...'_

"And how are the Striaton gym leaders concerned?"_  
_

"I was able to save Cress' and Chili's pokemon, and they agreed to help me try to take Team Plasma down from the inside," I explained. I then sighed. "I honestly don't expect you to do the same, considering what I've done to you..."

Lenora ignored my second comment and continued to eye the piece of paper suspiciously. I thought I saw her eyes go wide for a second, but it must have been a trick of my lethargy. Eventually, she shook her head and handed the piece of paper back to me. "Sorry, I don't know what this means."

"Oh... Okay." I wasn't sure whether Lenora forgave me or not, so I decided to play it safe. "Sorry for wasting your time."

"It's never a waste of time," she said with a smile.

I raised an eyebrow. _'Are we cool now, or what? Or is she just trying to usher me out of here?'_

To confirm my suspicions, Lenora grimaced. "Now tell me... Why is Team Plasma's new admin trying to take them down?"

I blinked. _'At least she's giving me a chance to explain myself,'_ I thought happily. _'Yet again... I won't get by on much with just a simple sob story...' _I sighed. "You heard about their King, right?"

Lenora nodded. "I haven't seen him, but I've heard a great deal from that grunt that announced it... Does he really have Zekrom?"

_'Well... I'm pretty sure he does.' _I nodded. "I saved his Vanillite from being ill, and since then, he's wanted me to join Team Plasma."

Lenora continued to nod, taking everything in. "I see... So this 'King N' forced you to join?"

I shook my head. "No, actually. It was the head of the seven sages. A council of some sort."

Lenora raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

I shrugged. "Ostensibly, to appease N. However, I feel like he has a second motive. I just don't know _what_."

Lenora looked irresolute. "But couldn't you just have easily refused?"

I chuckled to myself in a dark fashion. "If only that was possible..." I muttered under my breath.

Lenora seemed abashed at my response. She was almost reluctant to continue. "What do they have over you?"

"Me? Personally, nothing," I claimed, a faint smile coming across my face. _'Great... Now I'm some sort of weirdo.'_ Wiping the sad grin off of my face, I continued to explain to Lenora why I was where I was. "I think you remember Cheren and Bianca. You met them when Team Plasma first stole the Dragon Skull, and I think both of them earned a badge from you."

Lenora nodded, smiling. "Mhm. Nice kids. Friends of yours if I recall correctly."

I sighed and crossed my arms. "Uh-huh. The head sage is threatening to do something to them if I don't obey his commands... Well, Team Plasma in general."

Lenora's face softened. "You know... You could have just said so..." She looked guilty for some reason.

I looked away. "Yeah, but I didn't think you'd believe me. After all, I did cause the downfall of your museum." I mentally added, _'And it would've just sounded like an excuse.'_

"But you had a reason," she decided. "If my husband was in the same situation, I would've done the same thing."

I still wasn't quelled. The Striaton Brothers back in Striaton City practically said the same thing. "But now, you don't have anything left... You're cooped up alone in an empty museum."

Lenora had a sly smile and shook her head. "Watch." Lenora turned around and continued to do what she was doing before. After a second, she grabbed something from a side table.

_'Is that... A pokeball?'_ I examined, unable to see the object completely at this angle.

My deduction was confirmed when there was a flash of red. Lenora turned to me and held up the pokeball proudly. "See, Team Plasma didn't check the back rooms. I still had a few fossils back here."

I smiled. _'She had a backup plan!'_

"Not only that," she bragged, "but I had all of my pokemon down in the basement with me. I may have used my strongest team, but I still have some decent pokemon with me."

"So are you planning to take back the city?" I asked eagerly.

Lenora shook her head. "The only pokemon I have are a Herdier, an Audino, a Claffable, a Dunsparce, and the newly revived Archen and Tirtouga... That isn't nearly enough to help me."

"Oh..." I sulked. _'Right...'_

"Though, if you don't mind, I want in on your little rebellion you got going on with the Striaton gym leaders," she claimed with a smirk. She easily read my befuddled expression. "You didn't think I'd miss this one, did you?"

"N-No, I just thought that after what I did-"

"Which was _perfectly understandable_," she assured me, giving me a hard stare. "You shouldn't be so down on yourself for it."_  
_

"But Lenora..." I replied, not knowing what to say. _'__I still ruined the city and separated you from your main team... Only to save two people that may have been an empty threat..?'_

"What? Do I not qualify for your group of rebels?" she asked feigning a pout.

I waved my hands. "No, no, of course not! I was just a bit taken back, that's all."

She smirked. "Good. Next time you see the Striaton gym leaders, be sure to tell them that I'm in."

I smiled. "Thanks..."

"But if I recall correctly, did you say that you only saved Cress' and Chili's pokemon?" Lenora inquired.

I nodded. "Yeah, their gym pokemon. Cilan was out trying to retrieve all of their normal teams, but since he wasn't around, there wasn't anything I could do."

Lenora looked down at a table which I couldn't see at this angle. "I do have two fossils left..." she murmured to herself. "I have a full team, and one of these fossils happens to be a root fossil."

_'A root fossil?'_ I echoed. _'Never heard of it...'_

Lenora smirked, sensing my confusion. "A pokemon native to the Hoenn region; Lileep."

"_Oh_," I replied. "I think I've heard of it. Grass/Rock type, right?"

Lenora nodded. "Mhm. Not all of the exhibit was taken, just the ones on display." Lenora gave a hearty laugh. "Those imbeciles didn't even bother to check the storerooms!"

I giggled; her laugh was contagious, or at least while I was in this drowsy state.

"Come back sometime soon," Lenora invited while she returned her attention to some machine. "It takes a while to resurrect fossils."

"Alright..." I replied as I made my way out to the exit. "And thanks... Again."

* * *

_'I still don't understand why Lenora was so forgiving...'_ I decided to drop the topic though; I had somewhere else to go, and Ghetsis would surely have my head if he knew I was late, whether it actually concerned him or not.

I was relieved when I arrived that the entrance of Pinwheel Forest and saw that N wasn't there.

_'Good... Then I have some time to myself,' _I decided as I searched my satchel for Purrloin's pokeball. "Come on out," I called out as I tossed Purrloin's pokeball in the air and watched him materialize. I crouched down to his eye level and smirked. "You know, I was a bit reluctant to take you out. Both times I did, you were threatened in some kind of way," I teased. Upon realizing my words, I scowled. _'Was that supposed to be funny?'_

Purrloin continued to stare at me, unsure of what he should do or how he should react. He cocked his head in confusion.

I chuckled. "Anyway, I let you out just to ask if you were okay. After all, that looked like it hurt," I claimed, wincing upon remembering him being thrown against a tree.

Purrloin cocked his head the other way, still confused. He extended a paw.

_'He's going to hit me again... Great...' _I sighed. "Alright, I suppose you deserve to blow off some steam. Hit me with your best shot."

Purrloin retracted his paw and looked at me quizzically. He crept up next to my knee and started rubbing his head affectionately against it.

_'Seriously... This Purrloin must be bipolar or something,'_ I thought, smiling warmly at his reaction. I scratched him behind the ears. "So I take it that you're okay?"

Purrloin purred in confirmation as he pounced up to my shoulder and perched himself there.

I stood up smiling. "That's good to know... When you first got out, I was a bit worried that you weren't." I looked from side to side. "Thing is, I'm not too sure if I can have you out right now."

Purrloin made a sound indicating his confusion.

"You see, I'm supposed to be meeting someone here," I explained. "I'm not too sure how he'd like to see you out." With that, I returned Purrloin to his pokeball and stuffed it back into my bag. _'After all, this guy is all about 'pokemon liberation,' isn't he?'_

"I assure you, I wouldn't have minded."

I jumped at the sudden voice from behind me. I turned around to see the deadpan N staring at my now vacant shoulder. "Oh, you're here..." I blandly stated the obvious. "So, um... What did you want to show me?" I asked.

N shook his head. "Nothing at all."

_'Then why did he want me out here?'_ I wondered.

"You see, before the day of the liberations, we have to scope out the town or city we go to, as well as prepare for the broadcast," explained N. "Usually the Shadow Triad and a handful of our scientists do it, but Castelia City is the largest city in Unova, so this time I'm helping out."

I nodded. _'It makes sense.'_

"The seven sages resent me going alone though, despite the fact that I can handle myself," N continued. "That's why I was wondering if you'd assist me in surveying Castelia City."

I blinked. _'He'd ask me?'_ That was most definitely surprising, but I nodded and murmured an "okay." Now it made sense why I wasn't supposed to be in uniform.

I thought I saw N smile. "Great... Then if we're going to make it to Castelia City by the afternoon, we'll have to start going now."

I nodded as I turned to the entrance to Pinwheel Forest. "Do you think we'll have to battle any trainers on the way?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw N shrug. "We'll see."

And with that, we entered Pinwheel Forest. When I first entered, I thought I saw something purple standing on the empty tree stump some distance away. However, it turned out to be only a delusion. When I glanced over at N, he didn't seem to notice it.

"Anyway, we're not going the long route so if we do partake in any battling, it won't delay us by much," N claimed as we made a turn and followed the path.

I frowned at seeing the long line of trainers that we'd have to go through. I sighed. _'This'll take a while...'_

* * *

To my surprise, we weren't challenged once. In fact, it seemed like all of the trainers blocking the road were trying to avoid us. Then it occurred to me that I defeated all of them when I first made my way to Castelia City, and N had probably done the same sometime in the past.

The walk on Skyarrow Bridge was pretty awkward in its own way. N and I had walked in complete silence, and I could have sworn that from the corner of my eye that I saw him look at me occasionally.

But finally, here we were in Castelia City. N and I have just left the route house connecting Skyarrow Bridge to the city.

N walked up to the map on our right and examined it with great interest.

I walked up behind him. _'It's time to break this silent streak,'_ I decided. "So, you said we had to survey around to make sure everything was ready for, ah... Tomorrow," I chimed in, making sure not to mention Team Plasma's plans out loud in case of eavesdroppers. "What exactly do we have to do?"

Without looking back, N answered, "The Shadow Triad will check out all of he potentially harmful buildings, and the scientists will wire the city. All we have to do is survey the gym. After all, the gym leader is probably our biggest threat here."

_'Burgh...' _I realized with reluctance. _'I wonder... Has he noticed that Nacrene City has undergone the control of Team Plasma? Surely someone has to have noticed Team Plasma's actions by now...'_

"We just have to make sure that the gym leader won't have any tricks up his sleeves," explained N as he turned away from the map. "Tomorrow, I'm to go to the Unity Tower and oust any of its power. With the help of the device, of course."

_'There's that mention of the device again!' _I tried to eye N down to try and find it, but I saw nothing. I mentally sighed. _'Oh well... Maybe I can ask him.'_

"I don't believe you know about it, do you?" inquired N, reading my mind. N started to walk away and I followed. "The scientists created a device that create a range of radio waves that disable the ability of pokeballs to work," he explained.

_'What?!' _I thought, bewildered. _'Such a thing can be created?!'_

"It has a low range of influence and only lasts for so long, but it will be of great assistance," continued N. "The Unity Tower... Considering that it _trades_ pokemon from all regions, it has a lot of influence over the region of Unova," explained N, clearly disturbed at the word "trades."

_'But it makes sense why they'd send N there,' _I thought. _'After all, he's a king taking down a 'kingdom' of its own. Castelia City and the Unity Tower itself are like giant symbols of Unova unity.'_

"But you won't be coming with me," clarified N. "You'll be making sure that the pokemon gym is detained from making any action."

I frowned. _'Of course, I have to get the gym...'_

"The gym may be a bigger threat than the Unity Tower itself..." mused N. It seemed like he was mostly talking to himself now. "The gym is composed of elite trainers with one of the strongest trainers in Unova running the place, while the Unity Tower only spectates the trade of pokemon, purely for luxurious purposes," N explained uncomfortably. "As if they were trophies." It was obvious that N was getting a bit tensed now. "Needless to say, I don't think any of those pokemon will be of a problem." N looked away. "Battle-wise," he added spitefully.

_'I wonder... Does he usually talk to himself?'_ I decided to just let N vent away. After all, I didn't want to get on his bad side. N definitely had power over Ghetsis, so if I displeased him, the consequences were infinite.

N shook his head, almost as if to snap himself out of his daze. "I trust that you'll be able to handle Burgh, the gym leader, and all of the gym challengers inside?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I think I got it," I replied. _'Or at least I hope I do... Or don't? Meh, whatever works out best.'_

"Anyway, we're here," claimed N as we came to a halt. He looked up at the gym's insignia before attempting to step in, but he was stopped.

Burgh exited the gym, but stopped upon seeing us try to enter. His gaze rested on me as he said, "Oh, Hilda. What brings you here?" he asked. He then turned to N. "And N, was it?"

"Oh, um, I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing," I offered with a shaky smile. "How's the gym running?"

He grinned and nodded. "Quite well, now that you ask. Did you two come here together for something?"

N simply nodded.

Burgh sighed. "Unfortunately, can you wait?" he asked, a bit unwillingly.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"You see... One of the portraits in my gym has been slathered by honey," he explained. "A challenger just didn't know how to go through honey walls the right way."

_'Of course he wouldn't!' _I retorted in my head. _'It's hard to breath in those things!'_ I thought, cringing when I remembered being stuck in a wall of honey for a good five minutes until Bianca caught up with me.

Burgh sighed. "You see, the gym just doesn't feel right without having my paintings up, so I was going to go to Nacrene City and ask Lenora for a fossil."

N visually tensed up.

_'Don't tell me... No one noticed that Team Plasma was advancing?!'_ I thought, disbelievingly. _'Still?!'_

"You know, for a muse?" Burgh glanced to the side as he started to relay his to do list. "And after that, I got a tip off that Team Plasma is sneaking around the city, doing some suspicious work."

I started to feel relieved, but masked it in front of N. _'Burgh's bound to do something!'_

"As a gym leader, I don't believe I should leave them be," explained Burgh.

N shook his head and put on an amicable smile. "Perhaps Hilda and I can help," he offered. "I can go to Nacrene City and tell the gym leader of your situation while Hilda here helps you scour the city for Team Plasma."

I felt myself frown a bit. _'So this guy is dead set on not letting anyone know about Nacrene City's submission...'_ I inwardly sighed. _'Oh well... Someone's bound to notice Team Plasma's motives once Castelia's under attack,'_ I tried to reason with myself.

Burgh smiled and nodded. "Great! Thanks for helping out, you two!"

N nodded. "It's not a problem. So all I have to do is retrieve a fossil from the Nacrene Museum?"

Burgh nodded. "That would be plenty help, thanks!"

"Alright then," N recited as he walked away. "I suppose I'll see the both of you later, then." Not too soon after, he dissolved into the crowded streets of Castelia City.

Burgh turned to me. "Alright, so I say we split up! That way we can cover more ground," Burgh suggested as he started running in a different direction. "I trust that you can handle them if something happens!"

"W-Wait!" I tried to call out, but it was too late; Burgh was already long gone and out of my sight. _'Again with the trust!' _I frowned. _'My one chance to tell him about what was going to happen tomorrow...'_ I kicked a stray pebble. _'No. I have to warn him somehow...__'_

I was distraught on what to do though. On one hand, Burgh was trusting me to look for Team Plasma and stop them. On the other, N was dead set on making sure that Burgh didn't find out about Team Plasma's motives for tomorrow. If I assisted Burgh, would the grunts or Shadow Triad report me in for treason? On the other hand, what if Burgh thought that I was just lazing around?

_'Man..!' _I thought to myself, frustrated. I tried to contemplate on where I could go to warn. _'The Battle Company is a joke... They won't be able to accomplish anything,'_ I reasoned to myself, feeling a bit guilty of my opinion. _'Besides... It's a pretty popular place. I'm pretty sure that these supposed scientists would be hardcore wiring that place down.'_

That didn't leave much places left. The only other place I could think of that might be of assistance was Gamefreak, but again, it was a pretty popular place. I was pretty sure that a scientist was lurking about in there.

Team Plasma grunts don't have the audacity to lurk around the gym for too long, though. They most likely knew Burgh would be on their trail if they stayed for excessive intervals of time.

_'Alright,'_ I decided, looking through my satchel for anything that may be of use. _'I'll just have to leave something behind in the gym and hope that Burgh finds it...'_

However, there was nothing I could find. I had my uniform, Fennel's dream mist, my Team Plasma team, a few TM's, a max potion, a handful of full heals...

_'Have I ever heard of a pencil and paper?!'_ I scolded myself, looking through my satchel even more furiously. I was getting a few strange looks form some passerbyers, but I didn't really care. _'All I have is this note from... Cedric,'_ I relayed, still feeling a bit odd at being at a first-name basis. Cursing, I reread the note, trying to see if there was anything useful I could use.

_"Hilda; I still haven't perfected those 'vitamins.' Perhaps you can assist me the next time I see you. I would give you my failed experiments, but those are with me to fix my past mistakes. As a professor and a scientist, I know that in order to advance in my results, I mustn't just learn from my mistakes, but keep them around to revel in my improvement. That's aside from the point though. I've noticed that you've never addressed me by my name. Is it because my daughter and I harbor the same last name? Then next time you see me, I expect you to call me by my first name, Cedric."_

I furrowed my brows. Maybe I could use the sentences, "Perhaps you can assist me the next time I see you," and, "That's aside from the point though," but I just didn't know how to make them work with each other. Scowling, I tried to enter the gym, but noticed that Burgh locked it.

I sighed. _'Just great...'_

I looked over the note once more. Declaring myself desperate, I ripped the card until it looked like a "P" and slid it under the door.

I sighed again and deadpanned at the note. _'That's definitely not noticeable... And how is a 'P' supposed to suffice as a clue?!' _I scolded myself. I shook my head. _'No matter..!' _I told myself as I turned around. _'There are tons of people here! I'm sure one of them will be willing to pass on the word or warn a mass of people!' _I thought with a smirk.

There were tons of people rushing in the streets, all trekking to their destinations. I was sure that one person would be willing to stop and listen.

I ran over to the closest person. "Hey, can you help me out with-!"

The lady I tried to appeal to just brushed me off and continued to power-walk in the other direction.

I scowled. _'Gee, thanks lady.'_ I turned to the next passerby and extended my hand. "Excuse me sir, this is import-!"

"No time," he snapped without even giving me a glance as he continued to walk.

I turned to the next, a little more desperately. "Ma'am, please! You can determine the fate of Castelia City!" I screeched, throwing my hands up in desperation.

"Marketers there days..." she muttered to herself as she continued to trudge along with a rather large briefcase.

I groused in frustration. _'Alright... They won't listen, so it's time to force them!' _I thought as I dashed to the middle of the street and held open my hands. I saw a businessman about to bump into me and smirked. _'Great... Now he'll have to stop and listen!'_

Instead, before I could get a word out, the business man simply walked around me, almost as if I wasn't even there.

I turned around and stared at his back, dumbfounded. "Will someone listen to me?!" I screamed out, frustrated. When I glanced around, all I got were some disapproving glances, but still no one stopped. "It's important!" I tempted, but to no avail. Realizing that there were possibly some scientist grunts around, I sheepishly sunk back in the crowd, no longer compelled to try and get the attention of a random businessman or businesslady. I sighed.

If there wasn't the possibility of an incognito grunt being nearby, I would've just screamed out, "Team Plasma will try and take over Castelia City tomorrow!" But I couldn't. Instead, I could just look around to try and spot _anyone _who might be willing to listen. I spotted a building across the street. It had open doors, so I assumed it wasn't simply a business building and it accepted visitors.

Smiling, I jogged my way across the street and into the said building. I practically bolted for the welcome desk, but I definitely wasn't expecting to see this.

"Welcome," greeted the lady behind the counter. She was turned around, but quickly twirled to look at me. "Sorry, but we're clo-" She stopped short and looked at me wide-eyed. I probably mirrored her expression. "Hilda?! What are you doing here?" asked my mother.

"I-I could ask the same thing!" I retorted, my mouth agape. "I was worried sick about you, and all you've done was pick up a secretary job?!" I asked as I hopped over the counter.

As expected, she took me in her arms. "No, of course not!" she snapped. After a few more seconds, she was able to tell that I was uncomfortable and let go, but still held on to my shoulders. I was never a hugger. "You really don't know how worried I was about you!"

"Me?! Why?!" I demanded, still in shock at her rather untimely appearance. "You're the one they ushered out of town! "

My mother sighed. "That they did, I suppose..."

"Why the heck are you living it up in Castelia City?!"

My mother simply stared at me, waiting for me to calm down.

Seeing that she herself calmed down, I quelled my tone of voice. "Alright... I can tell that we'll have to keep this reunion short, so let's skip the 'I love you's, m'kay?"

My mom chucked to herself. "It's good to see that despite what happened, you're still your cheeky old self."

I raised my eyebrow and pursed my lips. "Is that an insult or a compliment?"

My mom only continued to stare at me blankly. "You're right... We don't have much time together."

I scowled at her avoiding the question, but quickly nodded in agreement. "First thing's first... What are you doing here?" I demanded.

My mom looked to the side, trying to recall every detail. "You see, after they ushered me out of the house, they pretty much just left me to do what I pleased," she explained. "Of course... Except for going back in the house."

I nodded. "So how did you end up in Castelia City?"

"Well, I stayed at Cheren's parent's house... His mother was out looking for her son, but of course, the guards wouldn't let her inside," she recalled, a thoughtful look on her face. "That was when she offered for me to stay with them."

I continued nodding, soaking in all of the information. I didn't really know if I cared for her story; I think I only cared that she wasn't in any danger.

"The very next day, Team Plasma came into the house," she continued, pursing her lips. "They claimed that we, as the parents of the prime two suspects of _something_, we were a threat to the peace." She then looked around her. "Basically, they moved us here. The three of us take turns sitting behind here and telling any visitors that we're closed." She then looked at me with watery eyes. "But I'm really glad you're okay..!"

"But why did they move you _here_?" I pried. _'Sorry mom, I know how much you want to catch up and I do too, but you did confirm that we don't have a lot of time...'_

"This is one of their bases," she explained.

Then it hit me. This was the building where Burgh, Iris, Bianca, and I chased down Team Plasma to find Bianca's Munna. Some guy in a black puffy hat claimed that this was their base. Being outed, I thought they would've abandoned it by now.

"While none of the grunts reside here, they do keep files upstairs," she revealed. "That's why the we're here; to send away anyone so that no one would snoop in Team Plasma's business." With a thoughtful look on her face she added, "In fact... Cheren's parents are up there resting right now."

"They do?" I asked excitedly, not acknowledging her assertion about Cheren's parents.

She nodded. "But they'll know if any of it is missing," she warned me. It was so like her to sense my motives.

"Oh..." I replied. _'I wouldn't want anything to happen to my mom or Cheren's parents because of it.' _I looked down and then back at my mom. "Why couldn't the three of you just leave?" I wondered. Looking around, I added, "I mean, I don't see any grunts or cameras around."

Her eyes arched in worry. "You see, we were threatened."

"Threatened?!" I echoed angrily. "What were they going to do to you guys?!" I demanded, my hands balling into fists. _'If they did anything...'_

My mother sensed my impulsiveness. "Now, don't try anything rash, dear!" she warned, trying to calm me down. "They didn't do anything to us!"

I calmed down, but only a little. "Then what?"

"They told us that if we left or told anyone about what they did in Nuvema Town, they would do something to you," she admitted reluctantly. "Our children."

I felt my eye twitching a little. _'Isn't that basically what they threatened me with?!'_

"They didn't want us in Nuvema Town because they thought that as your parents, you'd come to us for assistance if you were doing anything wrong," she claimed. She furrowed her brows. "But that leads me to another question; how did you get out of Nuvema Town?"

"It's a long story," I claimed to her, much to her dismay. "I'll have to keep it short and allow no time for questions... I'm a member of Team Plasma," I admitted, much to her dismay. "In fact... I'm an admin, or rather, _the _admin."

My mother didn't look pleased, but she nodded.

"You see, we already took over Accumula Town, Striaton City, and Nacrene City," I recapped. "Tomorrow, we're aiming for here. Castelia City."

My mother pursed her lips in disapproval. "Out of everyone in town, I didn't think that you out of all people would succumb to Team Plasma's ideals..." she claimed, her tone waning. She shook her head. "You know I love and support you, but let me warn you, this 'pokemon liberation' thing must be a sham!"

I smiled when I heard her was relieving to hear that she didn't believe that Team Plasma were the benefactors that they claimed to be. I shook my head, still unable to wipe the grin off of my face. "I assure you, I don't agree with them."

She was visually surprised when her mouth went agape. "Then... Then why?"

I frowned and looked away, unable to look her in the eye. "You see, I was threatened as well, but similar to you and Cheren's parents, I'm not the one in danger."

She looked angry. "Who?" she managed to choke out. It was obvious that she didn't want to hear it.

I sighed. "Cheren and Bianca..."

My mother gasped and looked at me, expecting an explanation.

"Cheren and Bianca had pokemon with them and they were discovered," I explained. "Then, they were impounded with both of the Professor Junipers."

"But that still doesn't explain why it would apply to _you_," she retorted forcefully. It was evident that she didn't like the fact that Team Plasma was playing me.

I shook my head. "Team Plasma did something to the four of them and I don't know _what_," I claimed, frustrated. "One of the seven sages, they're kinda like a head council, claimed that if I didn't obey them, they'd do whatever they did again..."

My mother gave me a sympathetic look. "Oh dear, that must be a burden on you..."

I shook my head. "Not me, _them_!" I snapped. I muttered an apology at my tone but quickly added, "I don't think you should tell Cheren's parents about what may have happened."

My mother nodded in agreement. "But you better leave soon, dear..." she claimed with a tone of unwillingness.

I solemnly nodded my head. "Yeah... Yeah, I know..." When I looked down, I noticed something sitting by my mom's feet. "Mom, what's that?"

"Hm?" she hummed, stepping out of the way and finally ungripping my shoulders. She followed my gaze.

My eyes widened a little. "Is that..?" It couldn't be. The Patrat I caught for her? It was sleeping by her feet.

My mother smiled. "Yes... You see, it would be suspicious to see a building without a pokemon walking around, so they let me keep her," she explained.

I smiled. "At least you aren't alone, then..." I offered. _'At least she has that Patrat I caught...'_

I recalled how I only caught the Patrat because of a contest Bianca, Cheren, and I decided to hold when we first begun our journeys; who could catch the most pokemon? I only caught my Lillipup and Patrat to win the contest, so imagine my vexation when I didn't win anything for having the most pokemon. I didn't really want a Lillipup, but I decided that I could deal with it. Patrat, however, I gave to my mother when she caught up with me to give me some running shoes.

My mother sighed. "I suppose so... But you should get going soon. I don't think you have any time to say 'hello' to Cheren's parents upstairs." My mother glanced around her. "A grunt is due soon; they're preparing for something."

I nodded in understanding. "But before I go, have you read any of these files that are supposedly upstairs?"

My mom blinked. "Well, no," she admitted, "but I've overheard Cheren's father frisking through it."

"What did they say?" I asked anxiously.

My mother shrugged. "I only heard so much of it," she admitted. "Something about a shell... A carcass?" she recalled, questioning her own memory. "Something they want to retrieve."

I nodded my head, unsure of what her words meant. "Alright... Thanks, mom. I have to go before I don't have a chance to tell anyone about the raid... That's why I came here in the first place."

My mom unwillingly nodded her head and gave me a hug, chuckling to herself when I uncomfortably shifted a bit. "Just be careful, okay? Keep your guard up; I know that Team Plasma has more to it than just 'pokemon liberation.'" She let go and looked me in the eye. "And I think it's best that we act like we never found each other."

My eyes widened at her request, but I nodded and bolted out the door. _'I don't want to drag on our conversation... If I do, I don't know if I would've ever been able to leave,'_ I admitted. _'But to think, she was safe in Castelia City this whole time..!' _After I was a few good feet from the building, I halted. _'You're kidding me!'_ I inwardly screeched. _'I forgot to ask for a pen and some paper!' _I pursed my lips at my thoughts. _'The first time I see my mother in about a week and all I could think about is a writing utensil?'_

I realized that thinking about my mother wouldn't help me save the pokemon of Castelia City. While many people, if not all, had pokemon in Castelia City, they weren't really trainers. The pokemon here were really just walking companions for the many businessmen and businesswomen or muses for artists and musicians. None of them were really powerhouses unless a trainer journeyed over here to win a badge. The population was built up of workers and tourists, so battle-wise, the pokemon of Castelia City were generally useless.

I ran down the whole street and darted into business buildings, trying to warn people of what Team Plasma was planning. However, I was brushed off by the many secretaries who claimed that they had more to do than play around in a child's fantasies, and that they were doing more adult-like business. Although, a few crabby ladies were kind enough to point me out in the direction of the gym.

It took my all of my might to not lash out at them. Even a small request like "pen and paper" was denied. Sighing, I ran to the water fountain at the heart of the city. I considered standing on its rim and shouting out Team Plasma's plans, but again, I didn't know if Team Plasma was around, hidden in the crowd somewhere. Any passerby whose attention I tried to catch just walked past me again.

Scowling, I though, _'Who knew it would be this hard just to get one little warning out?!' _I growled and furrowed my brows in agitation. _'Were the people of Castelia City always this ignorant?!'_ I exhaled to try and calm myself down, but it didn't work. '_No. They have to go to their jobs, which is apparently a lot more important than saving the city! Don't they realize that Team Plasma's out to do more than just take away their pokemon?! They're after the Unity Tower, for goodness' sake!'_

I tried every street that stretched out, trying to find anyone who would listen. I was routinely kicked out by secretaries. Cafe's told me to "take it easy," and I was only shushed in art galleries. Apparently, my excessive screaming was "killing the mood." Even the lady at the Castelia Cone Stand shrugged me off, saying that they were "sold out," but I heard her just offer the guy before me twelve castelia cones and he only ordered _one_. She was still open for business and I knew it! I didn't dare to try going to Gamefreak, the Pokemon Center, or any other popular sites. I still wasn't risking being overheard by a grunt and reported to the sages.

But still... I didn't recall Castelia City being this... _S__hunning_; for lack of a better word, anyway.

Giving up with a sigh, I trudged my way back down the long street from which I came, retreating back to the gym. I thought that if I couldn't catch the attention of a normal civilian, at the very least Burgh may be back by now, and hopefully N wasn't.

To my dismay, I only saw N looking up at the gym sign, a fossil tucked under his arm.

_'Back already..?' _I thought, shuddering. _'There goes warning Burgh... Probably the only person not under surveillance that would care to listen to me.'_

N saw me and started walking towards me. "So I take it that you didn't go with Burgh?"

I shook my head. "He suggested that we split up."

"I see," N stated to himself as he rested his chin on his palm. He then looked up at the sky. "It's getting late and we still haven't examined the gym. I've tried to get in, but the doors are locked."

"So what you're saying is that we need to find Burgh," I clarified. "I've been around the whole city and the only places I haven't checked were the main docks and the sewers."

N nodded. "I don't think he'd have any reason to go to the piers..." N turned around. "Let's go get him," he said as we both walked the other way.

_'So he wouldn't go to a pier, but he'd go to the sewers?' _I thought, unconvinced. _'Whatever. It's not like I have any better ideas.'_

"Take a look around you," urged N. "What do you see?"

I raised an eyebrow. _''What do I see?' What kind of question is that?'_ Despite the absurdity, I answered. "Well, I see businessmen and tourists walking around the city. Nothing unusual about that."

"Who do you see with them?" N continued to urge, still not bothering to look at me.

"Pokemon, of course." It was hard to make my tone sound leveled when stating the obvious, but I think I pulled it off.

"Take a closer look."

I pursed my lips, unsure of what he wanted to hear, but complied. When I looked at the people we were passing, if they had pokemon with them, the pokemon were trudging behind in a distraught fashion, finding it hard just to keep up with their owners blindly walking about while talking on their cellphones. I then looked to my right, and in the distance, I saw Machamps and Conkeldurrs tediously unloading cargo from ships onto the pier. Needless to say, they all looked miserable.

It was evident that the realization hit my face when N continued to preach. "You see, this is why pokemon need to be liberated. They're all miserable under the care of humans."

I wanted to retort, but it was kinda hard to in this situation. _'Was it always like this..? With the people and now the pokemon?' _I scolded myself for being so ignorant.

Then I realized that this may have been why N asked me to show up today. I said I wanted to see the light of his reasoning, and here he was, showing it to me.

_'The messes I get myself into...'_ Succumbing to the enemy's ideals wasn't supposed to be my mission. My eyes set sight on a familiar route house, thankfully diverting the attention away from my thoughts. "The entrance to the sewers should be right over there," I pointed out while we made a turn to the port.

"There's not even one sight of natural land around here..." muttered N. "The pokemon's land has been turned into ivory towers of greed... A gilded firm." N came to a halt. "We're here, anyway. The only place in Castelia City that we can find wild pokemon."

We were standing in front of the sewers. I've never been in there before, but word on the street was that it was a pretty good training spot that rookies went to for training to fight Burgh.

"We may have to battle some trainers or some wild pokemon down there," N alerted me. "Are you ready?"

I nodded my head. _'Sure, why not?'_

And with that, we trekked into the sewers.

The air was musty, and the atmosphere itself was dark and dank. Moldy water was dripping from the ceiling, yet it was an ironically serene scene. N and I descended the stairs, an off-rhythm beat echoing around us. There were a couple of Trubbishes that scurried away from the entrance upon seeing the two of us, and they disappeared behind metal bars in small circular openings.

_'Isn't that where the water's supposed to come out?'_ I thought. However, when I looked around, the area was drought, save for the drippings from the ceiling.

"Flooding happens during certain seasons, and that's why there's nothing in the canal-like features of the sewer," explained N, reading my thoughts. "That's also why there's stairs leading down," he said, gesturing to the stairs. "If we're going to find Burgh before sundown, we better hurry. The sewer is a large place."

I nodded in agreement. "Alright. Now where do we go first?"

N shrugged. "I'd like to see your sense of direction... You lead, and I follow." With that, he filed behind me.

I raised an eyebrow at his behavior. "I'd like to inform you that I've never been here before," I claimed, holding up a finger.

N didn't say anything and just continued to wait for me to take action.

I shrugged and chose to go down the stairs rather than stay on the platform we were on. I could feel that the ground was sticky beneath my shoes, and I wondered how we could even see down here. Before we could trek on, a wild Rattata and Trubbish jumped in front of us. I sensed N step back in surprise.

The Rattata snickered menacingly with equally sinister eyes.

"Trubbish," the Trubbish sighed, crossing his arms. He gave us a look that said, "You're not getting past here."

Knowing that N didn't approve of battling, I turned back to ask him, "What do you want to do?"

N continued to stare out. "They want to battle."

_'That's what they want to do, but okay...'_ I searched through my satchel for any pokemon and decided to stick with Purrloin. _'He's the least trained, and the pokemon down here are novice leveled. He can earn some experience down here.'_ Throwing my pokeball in the air, I chanted, "Go, Purrloin!"

N dug out a pokeball of his own and mimicking my actions commanded, "You're up, Archen!"

The two pokemon materialized after the red light illuminated the musty ground. Archen flew up a foot or two, dutifully waiting for N's orders. Purrloin on the other hand pranced up to me and looked at me pleadingly.

_'Am I asking too much of it at such an inexperienced level?' _I wondered to myself. I crouched down to Purrloin. "Do you want to sit this one out?"

Purrloin cocked his head to the side and purred something before trotting back to his original position.

_'Well... That was, um... What was the point of that?'_ I wondered. _'Did I do something wrong again?'_

"That Purrloin... It just said..." muttered N to himself.

I glanced at him. "Huh? Something wrong N-I mean my King N?" I had almost forgotten that I was supposedly his underling. _'At least Gorm or Ghetsis wasn't here to witness it...'_

N sent me a surprised and quizzical look before shaking his head. "It was nothing..." He looked back at the battle scene before him.

The Rattata and Trubbish were getting impatient. Rattata sprang forward as its teeth grew and glowed an ominous orange that brightened up a small range around it.

_'That's hyper fang, _I realized, _'and it's heading for Purrloin..!'_ I hurriedly ordered, "Jump!"

Purrloin complied and gracefully jumped, now a few feet above Rattata. Despite his success, Purrloin was clearly nervous. After all, I suspected that this was his first fight.

"Follow up with scratch!" I ordered.

Purrloin stuttered as he raised his paw for a scratch attack. His claws glowed white as they grew, but I noticed Trubbish charging in, aiming to hit him mid-air.

"Purrloin..!" I managed to croak out, unsure of what to tell him. Hit one, get beat by the other. In the end, though it was less than a second, I chose to command, "Aim for Trubbish!"

Purrloin twisted itself in the air and now directed its airborne attack towards and unsuspecting Trubbish. He managed to shock Trubbish and knock him back a few feet, but there wasn't a scratch on him. Now Purrloin was falling towards Rattata, who opened her mouth to use bite. Trubbish was also able to quickly recover and now charged at Purrloin again. There was an unmistakable mask of fear on Purrloin's face.

"Rock throw at Trubbish!" I heard N command.

_'Alright, Trubbish is handled,'_ I observed. "Use assist in Rattata's mouth!" I followed up.

From the corner of my eye, I saw flying boulders going towards Trubbish's direction, but I chose not to distract myself with that. I saw Purrloin take a reluctant nose dive towards Rattata's open mouth. He closed his eyes in fear as he extended his arms. They were about to make contact with Rattata's tongue when a mass of undecipherable purple sludge exploded from Purrloin's paws to the Rattata's mouth with a power so overwhelming that Purrloin stayed airborne. The Rattata on the other hand had wide and fearful eyes and screamed muffled screams as his mouth was filled with overflowing sludge.

_'Sludge bomb...' _I thought guiltily. The attack had only been going on for a mere three seconds, but the Rattata was already glowing an ominous purple, making me guilty almost immediately after. I was too taken by my own battle that I barely noticed that N had already defeated Trubbish. "Alright, that's enough," I told Purrloin.

He reluctantly opened his eyes and jumped at the sight of Rattata. H fell back to the ground on four shaking paws.

"Such a strong attack and except for the poison, barely a scratch..." I examined, muttering under my breath. "Sorry, Purrloin... I know you're pretty young. I shouldn't have put that much strain on you for your first battle!" I called out. "Come back here, you're done for now!"

Purrloin looked at me, greatly confused and most definitely scared, and meowed something before shaking his head somewhat reluctantly and turning his back to me.

"Huh?" I wondered out loud. _'Hm... The rebellion phase. They grow up so fast!' _I thought jocosely.

From the corner of my eye, I thought I saw N flinch.

_'Did Trubbish get back up or something?'_ When I looked at him, he was looking at Purrloin.

Then he looked at me, but upon seeing that I was looking at him, quickly turned his head away. Despite his attempts, I was still able to see the cluttered look on his face. I couldn't tell if it was confusion or agitation or what.

The Rattata chattered something, causing N and I to shoot our heads to him. She was by Trubbish, trying to drag him away. It was a pitiful sight, especially with Rattata still glowing purple.

Purrloin looked back at me, waiting for me to say something.

"Return," I said simply as I held up his pokeball and returned him.

N looked away. "Let's continue on then," he ordered as he recalled Archen.

"Hold on a second," I requested, stuttering a sheepish "my king" after as I ran over to the poisoned Rattata.

She flinched upon seeing me, frozen with fear. I crouched down and dug through my bag and grabbed out a full heal. I sprayed it on Rattata, who was stunned by the cold sensation, but was visually surprised when she stopped glowing purple. She looked at me, confused, before scurrying off with Trubbish, visually better as well.

I hurriedly jogged back to N. "I'm sorry for holding you, my King," I apologized. _''My King...' Man, I'm never gonna get used to that.'_

"Why?" was all N could manage to ask.

"Well, I know that it's customary that you leave a pokemon be after defeating it or it runs away, but I assumed that they wouldn't get very far with Rattata poisoned," I explained. "I had some spare full heals, so I thought I should use one."

"That wasn't what I-" N started, but cut himself off. "Okay."

"Oh? What's this? A lover's quarrel?" a voice asked from behind us. N and I whipped our heads in the direction of the voice. The source was a janitor. "Ha! Double the winnings!" he exclaimed in excitement as he withdrew two pokeballs from his utility belt. "Zubat and Trubbish, let's go!"

True to his proclamation, a Zubat and a Trubbish materialized after a red light.

I looked through my satchel for another pokemon, but I saw N hold up a hand to stop me. "My King?" I asked. _'Seriously... I'll never get used to that.'_

"Allow me," N suggested as he re-summoned Archen. "My Archen is on the verge of evolving and he could use the experience."

_'What? Are you kidding me? It's unfair to be two against one!' _I retorted. I sighed. _'I'll never reach his senses with that argument though...'_ Deciding to mimic grunt speech, I said, "But my Lord, please let me assist you," in the cheeriest voice I could. It was so out of character that I cringed not too soon after.

"I assure you, I can handle this," urged N, his voice displaying confusion.

_'So he sensed it too,'_ I thought a bit embarrassed.

"Now, what kind of relationship do you two have going on?" mocked the janitor. "You're one lucky fellow, young man!"

My eyes widened as I clenched my teeth in anger. _'What the?!'_

N didn't seem to get the hint though. "Archen, use ancient power!"

Archen complied, and in mere milliseconds, Zubat and Trubbish were bombarded with glowing rocks. They crashed to the ground with loud "thuds" as Zubat and Trubbish writhed in agony. Zubat fainted as soon as the attack finished. The janitor didn't even have a word in; that's how fast this was finished.

"Finish it off with pluck!" ordered N while pointing at the twitching Trubbish.

Archen took a nosedive to Trubbish and sharply pierced his beak in his skin, and Trubbish too fainted.

"Blast!" exclaimed the janitor in frustration.

Suddenly, Archen started glowing white and his shape was fleeting in the light.

_'Archen's evolving,'_ I observed in awe. However, I was unable to derive in the sight as I saw the janitor trying to flee in the distraction. "Hey, wait up, you chump!" I called out as I ran after him. I thought I heard N call out after me, but if he did it went deaf to my ears. "You forgot your pokemon and you owe us some winnings!"

The janitor stopped short and turned back to face me. He marched up to me and shoved some dirty wads of money in my palms. "Happy?! See ya'!" he snapped as he ran away again.

"Hey, wait up fool!" I called out, irked by both his earlier comment and his disrespectful behavior. "Aren't you forgetting your pokemon?!"

"Keep'em! They costed me my whole day's winnings!" he called out as he threw behind his pokeballs and rounded the corner. "I'll just catch stronger ones!"

I was both dumbfounded and angered by his claim. His pokemon crept up behind me and towards their abandoned pokeballs. It was clear that they just regained consciousness by the way Trubbish limped and how Zubat occasionally dropped an inch. While Trubbish spitefully destroyed his pokeball and skulked away, Zubat only floated over his and stared at the corner that its previous trainer ran away to.

_'So he only borrowed the pokemon to earn some quick cash?' _I wondered. The thought was sickening. I walked up to the Zubat. "You heard him... He's not coming back."

Zubat looked at me before sulking to the ground.

_'I can't just leave him here,'_ I realized as I crouched down. "Go on then; you're free!" I offered, trying to lift its spirits. Seeing that it didn't work I ended up asking, "Or would you rather go with me?"

I heard footsteps behind me. "Why'd you run of?" N's voice demanded. He wasn't exactly angry, but his tone implied it. Perhaps he was just taken aback by my sudden outburst?

"Oh, um, sorry, my King N," I apologized. I really wasn't paying attention to him.

N caught up to me. "It's the janitor's Zubat..." he observed as he too crouched down. "Why is it here?"

"That janitor left him behind," I explained. "Apparently, he only kept those two around to make money off of the trainers training down here."

"It's not uncommon," N admitted. "Some of the staff down here are infamous for using the sewer pokemon to make a quick buck." He seemed sickened at the notion but didn't voice his opinion.

The Zubat chattered something before flapping his wings again.

"Hold on a second," I requested as I dug through my satchel. I found the one max potion that I brought with me and sprayed the Zubat with it. "Better now?"

The Zubat nodded and chattered again as it flew up higher.

I stood up, finally at eye level with the Zubat. "Alright, go on then. If you see that guy, he deserves a good beating!" I offered while slamming my fist into my open palm.

"This Zubat said that he'd like to accompany you," claimed N, surprise unhidden in his voice.

"What? Me?" I asked disbelievingly.

"Your act of kindness made him feel indebted to you..." N continued, now with a little more annoyance in his voice. He too stood up, glancing away from the Zubat.

_'But I'm going to suppose that 'his highness' over here is against that idea,'_ I concluded. I looked at him. "May I?" Of course, I expected to be shot down, but it wouldn't hurt.

N let out a frustrated sigh. "The choice is yours... I'll be waiting back there when you've made your choice." With that, he walked away and out of my sight.

_'You know... It doesn't take a person long to say 'yes' or 'no,'_' I countered in my head. _'It really wasn't necessary to leave.' _I reasoned that he might have just wanted time to think to himself, but what was that? A minute tops?

Zubat made a chattering sound, catching my attention.

"Alright, it looks like you're coming with me," I declared as I crouched down and picked up his pokeball. I returned him quickly, not wanting to hold up N, and I practically bolted back to where he came from.

"So you've chosen to keep him..." N muttered under his breath.

_'Well, yeah! I couldn't just leave him there!'_

I wasn't sure if he was irritated or angry. Or both. "Let's continue on then."

* * *

I directed us up two cases of stairs and eventually, we hit fresh air.

At first, all that came into sight was the concrete floor and the sight of tall buildings. However, when I stepped out more, I saw patches of grass and a tall tree in the middle. I heard N follow me up, but he didn't comment on anything.

_'A place like this exists in Castelia City..?' _I wondered. I didn't have time to revel in the sight, though. Burgh was standing right in front of a tall tree in the center of some grass patches. "Any luck, Burgh?"

Burgh twirled around upon hearing his name. "Oh, yes. I found some Team Plasma grunts, but they weren't doing anything suspicious of the sort," he explained. "They were only holding a rally by the fountain."

"So why are you over here?"

Burgh shrugged. "I just wanted to see the sights, I guess... I thought that perhaps the nature here could pose as my muse."

"So do you still need this fossil?" N asked. "If not, I can return it to Lenora."

"I suppose I can hold on to it for a while," Burgh said as he took the fossil from N's arm. "Thank you for running that chore for me."

_'Speaking of the fossil... Where did N get it?' _I wondered. _'I doubt Lenora would just hand it over.'_ Then I remembered that Team Plasma took everything on display.

"It's not a problem, but can we go to the gym?" requested N. He was getting impatient. "You see, Hilda and I were longing to see your new opuses."

"Oh, of course," Burgh replied with a smile. He took one last glance at the giant tree behind us.

_'It's sunset already,'_ I examined, looking at the sky. _'It would make sense why N would want to go already.'_

"Apparently, this is where it all began for Castelia City," claimed Burgh. He then took left for the stairs. "Come along, then. I suppose I have to reopen the gym some point before the day's over just in case there are any challengers." Burgh disappeared down the flight of stairs, followed by N.

It was my turn to examine the scenery. There were pokemon running in the tall grass, and despite being surrounded by all of these restricting buildings, they seemed rather happy.

_'Is it because they're free?'_ I wondered. _'Or is it because this was where all of these creations first started?'_

* * *

In the end, I had no alone time with Burgh.

Since there weren't any gym challengers, Burgh took the liberty himself to tour us around the gym, showing which paintings were new and explaining all of their inspirations. It was interesting, but my attention wasn't on him. I was anxiously waiting for the moment that we were alone, but it would never happen. N wasn't too fixed on Burgh either. His eyes were darting around like a hawk's, taking in every detail of the gym. Burgh didn't seem to notice our diverted attentions though.

When Burgh learned that we hadn't made any plans to stay in Castelia City, he offered us extra rooms in the gym, which of course N took. It was evident that he nor I knew that the gym even had any rooms other than the obvious ones.

I was almost sure that I'd have a moment alone with Burgh, but he retreated to his own room and left N and I alone in a small hallway with four doorways. Apparently they were all guestrooms except for the one at the end which was Burgh's, and N and I were welcome to choose whichever ones we wanted.

As soon as Burgh left us, N turned to me. He kept his voice low. "I didn't know that the gym leader had a back room behind where he usually resides while he waits for a challenger."

"Neither did I," I replied, cursing Burgh for his hospitality. _'How am I going to get into contact with him now?!' _It wasn't as if I could sneak up to his room in the middle of the night. Even if I did, there was still the possibility of N noticing, and the last thing I wanted to do was have him tell Ghetsis that I was being a disobedient traitor.

"I didn't spot anything suspicious. Did you?"

I shook my head. "Nothing." And I wasn't lying either. "So, what do I do after I subdue Burgh?" I asked. I didn't want to be sulking around for the whole day, and if what my mom said was true, the building that she was staying in would have grunts swarming in and out of it all day.

"Sage Bronius will be here tomorrow to tell you," explained N. "The fact that we're residing in the gym is all the more convenient for our plans... You will not strike the gym until I have taken over the Unity Tower."

_'Oh great... Another babysitter...' _I nodded. "How can I tell when you do?"

"That's where we'll be broadcasting from," explained N.

I nodded. "Got it."

"You brought your uniform with you, right? asked N. "Not everyone was alerted of who specifically was promoted to admin."

"Um... Yeah, I got it," I replied, remembering stuffing it in my bag.

N nodded. "So I can trust you with this task, right?"

_'Gosh! Again with the trusting!' _I thought frustratingly. I nodded. "Yes, my King."

N rose an eyebrow. "Just remember to change into your uniform when you wake up."

I nodded. "Sure thing..."

And with that, we split up into our separate rooms.

There was no warning Burgh now.

* * *

**Stall and Aid : End**

* * *

Important announcement : Burgh is _not_ Lenora's husband. You see, he was originally supposed to be there last chapter, and I forgot to edit his name out at one point, so yeah... To anyone who read the chapter prior to the update, Burgh is _not _Lenora's husband, LOL.

Alright, so I just realized that the protagonist's house doesn't have any couches, nor is the kitchen counter to the left. I don't know who's house I was thinking of O.o I was wondering if those details were important enough to go back and edit in. I also noticed that I got some of the routes down wrong. Route 2 connects Accumula to Striaton, and Striaton to Nacrene is Route 3, where the Daycare is. The small passageway connecting Nacrene City to Pinwheel Forest is actually considered Pinwheel Forest. Is that important enough to fix, or should I just ignore it?

When Burgh says, "And N, was it?" he has met N before. N needed all eight badges to get through the badge gates and challenge the Pokemon League. However, I don't think N was all that memorable to him. Of course Hilda was though, because they hunted down Team Plasma together in both Pinwheel Forest and Castelia City.

When Hilda's mom says the prime two suspects, that wasn't an error. Bianca was a big suspect, but Team Plasma's eyes were really only on Hilda and Cheren, until N visited Hilda of course. Then the suspicion shifted to Bianca. Also, their reunion wasn't so grand because both of them knew that they were short on time. It was some sort of unspoken agreement.

I know the sewers weren't in the first game, but I'd still believe that they existed during that time, kinda like Flocessy Town. There's evidence that they've existed before you set out on your journey, but you never visit it. N making Hilda lead was another reference to the games. Whenever you enter with a partner in some sort of location, he/she just follows you around.

There's a reason why the janitor showed up. Firstly, Hilda needed to catch some type of flying type pokemon for a later point in time, and I don't think N would approve of her catching more pokemon, if you know what I mean. Plus, I chose Zubat just to keep in the Team Plasma theme. Secondly, just to introduce Hilda to the idea of greed. Well, obviously she knew what greed was prior. I mean greed relating to pokemon, and how some trainers just use them as tools for earning money. (Heck, that's Black City.)

By the way, changing the chapter's title from "or" to "and" was intended. But hey, who actually reads the chapter titles? XD

It also appears that most of the people who reviewed want some N/Hilda, so if you're against this, this is your last chance to object. Now a warning here, I will make N/Hilda scenes (if that's what you all want), but if I do, they'll never actually be dating. I feel that concerning this story, their relationship would be stronger if they have moments that build up to it. Plus, I have no prior experience writing romance stories, and I just generally don't like the genre of romance. But I'll try if that's what you guys really want.

I really despise this chapter. I think I did a terrible job with it, it's the worst so far, and it seems like a pain just to read through. However, I saw no other way to fix it, and I've been trying (hence the long update time). Does anyone think I need to completely re-write it? It feels like a giant filler filled with irrelevant scenes.

I realize that there have been a lot of author's notes lately, but sorry. Anyway, I have a poll for anyone who's willing to review. Who do you see as the main character of Black and White 2? Nate or Rosa?

KawaiiJoltic : -.- Seriously, you have nothing to thank me for. Again, it should be the other way around. I haven't heard of Runs With Scizor, and when I tried to look him/her up on fanfiction, I got nothing, so I can't relate to your opinion, but I think that you should go on ahead and write the fanfiction if you really want to. If you do, you'll have one guaranteed reader. I haven't read any of your fanfictions (yet), but it's pretty easy to surpass me XD. Same here; for some reason, I loathe it when people use original names in fanfictions. And quit it. Thank _you_.

Roy's Little Girl : **Facepalm* My bad... I'm going to assume that you already figured out that Burgh isn't Lenora's husband =P And wow, five months? I hope I don't fall that behind. And sorry if this chapter didn't fit your expectations. It certainly isn't a favorite of mine...

Remepie : So I take it that you'd want N/Hilda in this fanfiction? =P And quit flattering me, I know you're just kidding. But thanks nonetheless for reviewing.

Jestie Uchiha : When I said rewriting, I meant fixing grammatical errors and maybe changing a few scenes around to make it more interesting, but it wouldn't be anything major or worth rereading. But I do see your point. If I am ever going to full-out re-write the story, I'll probably wait. But honestly, I'm considering writing this chapter. If you read the author's note, you can see how I _really _don't like this chapter. It just doesn't feel... Right? (for lack of a better word). But thanks for your words.  
And I'll take it that you're also voting for some N/Hilda going on? =P  
Yeah, I thought by making her "join" Team Plasma, it would open up some new possibilities. And I'm glad you see the Shadow Triad scenes that way; I wasn't too sure on how well I executed those. And Hilda would probably murder Ghetsis if he didn't have something over her, so you aren't alone there, lol. About a note? That'll be explained later (but it's not a significant reason, so don't get your hopes up for some intricate loophole =P) And it's not that the new team hates her, it's just that they were all stolen and molded by Team Plasma grunts, so you can imagine that they'd be somewhat distant. The Purrloin, as explained, was relatively young, so he was pretty wary of Hilda since he most likely endured abuse by the grunts that captured him. When Hilda "saved" him, he saw that she meant no harm. And you've just read her reconciling with her mother. I don't like how I wrote it, but I didn't know how else to write it. They both knew that they were pressed on time, and Hilda (or at least how I imagine her) doesn't seem like the affectionate type. N brought her to Castelia City to show her the horrors or pokemon trainers, but you probably already found that out . Sorry for rambling on there. I just get really excited when someone reviews.

Shadowkitten11 : Alright, another vote for Hilda/N =P Thanks for reading!

DigimonLoveForever : Alright, yet another vote for Hilda/N XD Thanks for the feedback and thanks for reading!


	15. In a Daze and in a Nutshell

**Chapter 15 : In a Daze and in a Nutshell**

* * *

"Hello again, citizens of Castelia City..." a muffled voice said from some distance away. It sounded robotic... Robotic?

Thudding. I heard distant thudding. "N! Are you there?" Footsteps. Distant footsteps.

"It's been nearly five minutes... Have you gathered up everyone possible to witness this important broadcast?"

"Hilda, are you there?" The voice was muffled through the door. "It's important!" More thudding, but closer and louder. "Wake up!"

_'Broadcast... Broadcast... Important broadca-'_ My eyes scrunched up, then they shot open. '_Oh shoot! It started!'_ I jolted upright and jumped for the door, swinging it open without much care.

Burgh was standing in the doorway, making me flinch a bit. "Come on, this way! You have to hurry!" With that, he ushered me out of the room and out of the small hallway, back to the main room of the gym.

I noticed trainers huddled up together. They were staring at the gym's scoreboard as if it was some sort of gruesome punishment. Burgh ushered me over to them and we joined the mass.

Instead of a scoreboard, the screen portrayed a fizzling screen with the Team Plasma emblem in the smack center. "No matter, we've waited too long... In any case, we will just repeat this message for the endless population of those residing in Castelia City."

"The scoreboard started acting up while I was overlooking the gym," Burgh explained without prying his eyes off of the giant screen. "Then I saw this Team Plasma emblem and it said to gather up everyone I could to witness this message."

That would explain all of these eager gym challengers huddled around here.

"This can't mean anything good."

The screen flickered a few times before revealing some sort of live feed. In the middle of the screen stood a Team Plasma grunt. Behind him on both sides were Team Plasma flags.

There was gasping among the trainers behind us. Burgh and I were too concentrated on the feed to react as they did.

"As of today, Castelia City will be under the control of Team Plasma," claimed the grunt.

_'They admitted it!' _I screeched in my head, dumbfounded. _'They just openly admitted that they're some sort of dictatorship!'_

"Now, we have multiple reasons for doing this," alerted the grunt, completely indifferent to his spectator's reactions. I could have sworn that I heard this announcement echoing above and around us.

_'Just how are Team Plasma scientists able to wire a whole city so easily?!' _I wondered. _'And all in a day?!' _That would always be an enigma to me.

"Castelia City is the root to all pokemon abuse!" he claimed forcefully.

Whispering and muttering erupted from behind me, but I thought I heard Burgh mutter "gibberish."

"You make your pokemon trudge with you to work, uncaring of their feelings!" the grunt continued. "Look at their faces," dared the grunt. "Are they happy and healthy faces?"

_'Well, the grunt does have a point there,'_ I admitted, '_but it can't be everybody in the city who's like that.'_

"However, it would be best to hear these words from someone else!" bellowed the grunt. "Our beloved, benevolent, King N! He has defeated the Pokemon League!"

There was an eruption of conversations behind us. The dozen or so gym challengers were conversing about how that was virtually impossible.

_'Then why are you guys at a gym?'_ I wondered. _'Doesn't the goal of collecting gym badges lead up to trying to defeat the Pokemon League?'_

"N... So that boy you were with," Burgh muttered to me, still not bothering to move his glance from the screen. "Hilda, did you know about this?"

Before I could reply, I was thankfully cut off by the grunt.

"And not only did our Lord N be the first and only to defeat the Pokemon League," bragged the grunt, "but he has befriended the legendary Zekrom!"

A plethora of gasps. Well, that was expected. I glanced over Burgh; he carried a hard stare that questioned whether he believed it or not.

"That's right!" the grunt bellowed, knowing that people would be questioning his assertion. "The legendary Zekrom has accepted our Lord N's beliefs and has sided with him to liberate the pokemon of Unova!" The grunt cackled to himself. "And if you don't comply, are you daring to go against the ideals of our mighty King N?"

_''King N,' 'Lord N,' really... How are we supposed to address him?'_ I wondered. _'Does it matter?'_

"Or is it... Do you dare go against the ideals of the legendary Zekrom?"

_'This sounds all too familiar,'_ I observed. _'Except this time it's more than just a small town.'_

"Team Plasma would like to thank you for your support," the grunt sneered insincerely as the screen blacked out.

_'What support?!'_ I countered. '_I don't think anyone here was that convinced!'_

The screen flicked back to life before the rest of us had the time to sink in the "news" of Zekrom being awakened. There stood N in what seemed like some kind of ceremonial robes.

_'And... Is that a crown he's wearing?' _I thought, greatly confused. _'Um... Dude, I don't think you're a real king.'_

"Citizens of Castelia City," he started off amicably. "I'm sure you all know that Team Plasma supports pokemon liberation." N paused and blinked before continuing. "Before I explain why Team Plasma is here, I must first inform you that the place I am at is the Unity Tower."

As expected, the dozen or so gym challengers behind me started conversing.

"Team Plasma has successfully subdued the Unity Tower, and soon, we will take control of Castelia City!" N wasn't exactly yelling, but he was making sure to assert his proclamations. It almost sounded like he was excited and just barely containing it. "But hear us out; Team Plasma isn't as bad as we have been made out to be..! But why should you support pokemon liberation?" His tone was soft, his words were sincere, but his mouth... I couldn't tell if it was a smile or a frown; whether it was pleading or deceiving.

I heard Burgh mumble something to himself. He sounded conflicted, but when I took a glance at his face, he showed no emotion whatsoever. By now I had tuned out the trainers behind me. They probably haven't witnessed Team Plasma aside from a rally or two.

I, on the other hand, had experienced them doing a great number of crimes and wrong-doings, such as kicking pokemon and stealing them.

"Your pokemon..." N started off softly, looking down. The next second, he shot his head up with some sort of disgusted expression plastered on his face. "You make them battle until they faint! You make them work for you! You keep them in these palm-sized balls until you actually have a need for them!"

From the corner of my eye, I saw Burgh's eyes widen. Was it N's words that shocked him?

N glared at the camera disapprovingly. "You are taking away their freedom." The accusation was cold, yet it was hard to bring myself to argue against his tone. N waited a second to let his words seep into the minds of his captive audience. "Are you still in denial that pokemon are suffering under the control of trainers?" he challenged. Despite this, he kept his tone level and emotionless; completely indifferent and unbiased.

_'Where have I heard this before..?'_ I felt like there was some sort of significance to N's speech, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Now that you've heard my words, look at your pokemon's faces again!" he challenged, his face unwavering. "The man on screen earlier... He was not lying. I have indeed befriended the almighty Zekrom."

I didn't see the need to repeat that bit of information, but then I remembered the bombs that Team Plasma were dropping and assumed that it was probably best to repeat themselves a few times. Burgh and I exchanged a glance before returning to the screen. I could only assume that the challengers behind us did the same.

"Zekrom has accepted my ideals and is in agreement with it!" declared N proudly. Despite his tone of voice, his face was intimidating, a sinister glint in his eyes.

_'Was he like this when they took over Nuvema Town..?' _I wondered. I barely saw him when he took over Nuvema Town, after all.

"Pokemon shouldn't be with humans!" N continued to rant, a look of disapproval still on his face. "If any of you actually care for your pokemon, you will give them to a member of Team Plasma to liberate!"

I thought I heard footsteps, but they were walking away from me. I whipped my head to look behind me and saw three trainers skip away from the mini crowd descend the stairs. I heard a faint sound of something stretching and could only assume that they burst through the honey wall. _'Are they trying to escape or are they handing in their pokemon? Bah, I shouldn't have shunned them out.'_

"If not, do you dare say that you're going against the ideals of the legendary Zekrom?" he mocked.

_'This is getting a bit too repetitive,'_ I decided. I looked over the faces of the remaining gym challengers, and they still looked as surprised as ever. _'Alright... Maybe it's just me then.'_ I glanced over Burgh, who seemed to be getting impatient. _'Alright, maybe not just me.'_

"To sum things up, humans torture pokemon!" bellowed N. "If you really care for your alleged 'partners,' you will let Team Plasma set your pokemon free!" N smiled, or perhaps smirk was a more appropriate term. His eyes were clouded in his ideals. "That, or do you dare oppose the ideals of the legendary Zekrom?"

_'Seriously... How many times do they have to say that?'_

N kept the satisfied grin on his face, his eyes arched in joy. "Team Plasma would like to thank you for your support," he finished. He bowed to the camera and then the screen blacked out before returning to that screen with the Team Plasma insignia.

It flickered again and revealed the earlier grunt. "As of today, Castelia City will be under the control of Team Plasma," claimed the grunt.

_'So they're just going to replay the message all day? Okay,' _And with that, I turned to Burgh. "So what are you going to do now?"

Burgh hesitantly looked away from the screen after coming up with the same conclusion that I did. He flashed me a confident smile and then faced the group of gym challengers. "Team Plasma will be here any second!" he declared. "They didn't give us any warning, but I know it!"

The gym challengers fidgeted in their spots and quieted down, all looking up at Burgh with anxiety.

"I have no doubt in my mind that Team Plasma has contained the city and is making sure that no one can escape," explained Burgh. "Now the choice is yours. If you want to hand in your pokemon, so be it," welcomed Burgh. "But... If you're going to fight to stay with them, stay with me!"

The gym challengers looked at each other, exchanging glances and small tid-bits of phrases. They all looked down and then simultaneously nodded at Burgh, mirroring his determined demeanor.

"Good!" exclaimed Burgh, happy that most of the challengers decided to fight. He too noticed the absence of a few. "Let's show Team Plasma that not all trainers are bad trainers!"

"YEAH!" The small group of rogue trainers pumped their fists in the air.

Burgh smiled to himself. "A Team Plasma rally in Accumula Town; it was responsible for leading me to rethink my relationship with pokemon."

_'Oh... So he's going to do that whole 'emotional speech' thing,'_ I observed. _'Hm... Okay, I have time.'_

"At that time... I made a promise," declared Burgh in deep thought. "I swore to myself that I would dedicate myself to pokemon even more strongly!"

The group of gym challengers looked up at Burgh with deep admiration. However, I heard this speech once before in Team Plasma's base across the gym when we chased them for Bianca's Munna.

"All of you! Go to respective rooms and prevent Team Plasma grunts from advancing and solving the puzzle!" Burgh commanded valiantly. "In the meantime, I'll think of a away to get us all through this!"

They all nodded and cheered in response, scurrying down the stairs as one mass. I cringed when I tried to think of how they would all get through the single honey wall at once.

Burgh chuckled to himself, a look of sentimentality on his face. "Most of them have barely set out on their pokemon journey... It truly warms my heart to see such strong wills in new trainers," he mused to himself. He then turned to me, any look of blithe now gone.

_'Burgh... You think that they're going to fail, aren't you?'_ I thought sadly. _'And I'll be part of your downfall.'_

"Hilda... You must forgive me," he spoke.

_'Forgive you for what?!' _

"All I have with me are my gym pokemon," he explained, a tone of regret lingering in his voice. "That, and a friend's Smeargle that he lent to me, but..."

"The Smeargle isn't yours to give away, right?" I asked, finishing his sentence.

Burgh nodded. "Now, what are you going to do? You've heard my answer and now I'd like to hear yours."

"..." I didn't want to lie, yet I couldn't tell him who I was; if I did, I could scare him off. "I'm going to fight."

Burgh smiled. "Then I'll be waiting right here for you," he told me. "Go and get your things; I'm going to assume that your pokemon are back in your room."

I nodded and turned away. I didn't want to look him in the eye. I ran behind the scoreboard and opened the semi-concealed door that lead to the small hallway. I stopped and took a breath, trying to calm myself down. _'Gotta change..!' _I realized as I ran into my room in a huff. I hurriedly changed into my wrinkled Team Plasma uniform. I grabbed my satchel and bolted for the door, practically tripping when I made my way back to the main room of the gym.

Burgh looked slightly shocked. "You changed..? Team Plasma's here already!" he alerted me hurriedly. He did a double take and finally saw my Team Plasma emblem. "Oh... I see. This is unfortunate." Burgh pursed his lips. He tried to remain calm but it was clear that he felt betrayed.

_'Man... I hate this.'_ I couldn't let my face show any despair though, so all I did was continue to stare at Burgh and listen to the environment. He did say that Team Plasma was here, and I wouldn't risk anyone listening on on my reveal. True to his word, I did hear fighting in the background, commands being roared from below. I realized that now there would be no turning back.

Burgh scowled. "Alright... I see how this will end up." Burgh reached into his pocket without prying his ire gaze from me. He took out all three of his pokeballs and threw one in the air. "Go, Whirlipede!"

"Whirl..!" the Whirlipede growled as soon as the pokeball's light finished. He blinked a few times, most likely adjusting to his environment. He looked up at the scoreboard and listened to the looped message for a few seconds before deciding that it wasn't important.

"Well then?" Burgh gnarled, trying to keep his tone in check. "Are we going to battle?"

_'Burgh knows he's going to lose against me with his gym team... I've beaten him before.'_ I gave a solemn nod and dug through my satchel. _'I don't know what moves Zubat knows, and yesterday showed me that Purrloin is too nervous in battle...' _I found the pocket where I kept my pokeballs and took all of them out. _'Trubbish needs the most experience, excluding those two at least, so Trubbish it is.' _I clipped my other five pokeballs to my belt and threw Trubbish's pokeball in the air. "Go, Trubbish!" I commanded as I watched him materialize. _'Hey... I just realized that I have a full Team Plasma team before my actual team..! Haha, how ironic is that?'_ I smiled at my thoughts, but remembering where I was, wiped the grin from my face and frowned.

"Trubbish..." Trubbish sighed and scratched his head. Either he was tired or saw this fight as a waste of time.

Before either of us could say a command, we both heard footsteps. The four of us glanced at the staircase. A sage in black robes followed by two team plasma grunts emerged from the stairs.

_'Well, there's my babysitter,'_ I pointed out to myself annoyingly. _'And his babysitters.'_

"Did you really think that a bunch of rookie trainers would stop us?" mocked the sage.

I couldn't see Burgh's face, but his body language implied that he was surprised. "You... You're the one from before!"

"You'd have to specify," teased the sage as he and his two grunts finished climbing the stairs.

"The man from Team Plasma's base..." Burgh recapped to himself. "And what brings you here?"

"I only wish to spectate your alluring battle," the sage said, gesturing a hand towards me.

Burgh whipped his head in my direction, almost as if he forgot I was here. He shook his head disapprovingly and turned back to the sage before him. "And your name?"

"Bronius."

"Why don't you leave us in peace, Bronius?" Burgh suggested, annoyance hidden in his voice. "I'm sure that your henchman here would be much more comfortable without your judgmental eyes on her."

_'His henchman?' _I wondered. '_That's me, isn't it?'_ I thought with a scowl.

"Unfortunately, we're not quite sure of this one's loyalty yet," informed Bronius, his voice completely indifferent.

I frowned. _'All of these sages keep referring to me as some kind of pet.'_ It was pretty annoying, considering how I used to beat these guys up.

Burgh seemed to put his guard down, if only for a second, and then turned back to face me. He carried a look of curiosity, and while he still seemed angered, he wasn't as enraged as a few seconds prior. "What compelled you to join Team Plasma?" he asked, his voice purely inquisitive.

The question caught me off guard. I froze. What was I supposed to say? _'Bronius is right there with two grunts... I can't exactly tell Burgh the truth at the moment.'_

Burgh looked at my face with the intent to unmask my sensibility.

_'Am I showing how caught off guard I am?'_

Burgh rested his chin on his hand and then smirked. "Your silence is an answer enough. There's no need to continue." It was then that I realized that he wasn't smirking to me, but to himself.

I stared at Burgh, almost pleading. "What do you mean?"

Burgh instead turned to the sage. "Say I win against your henchman over there," Burgh inquired. "What would happen then?"

Bronius smirked. "Then I would order even more of my men to take you down."

"And just how many of your men are with you?" challenged Burgh.

"As many as I need," Bronius replied proudly. "Listen to the outside, gym leader," he challenged. "Don't you hear it?"

"Hear what?" asked Burgh a little unsurely.

I, just as curious as Burgh was, concentrated on sounds. I heard the earlier message still on a loop and the sounds of the trainers battling Team Plasma grunts. However, most of the voices were unfamiliar. _'Just how many grunts did this guy bring into the gym?!'_

Burgh shrunk back a little; he had clearly came up with the same realization that I did. Burgh turned to look at me again. While he didn't look defeated, he didn't look nearly as confident as he had only moments prior. He looked down at his Whirlipede that was ready to battle. "Whirlipede, return."

Those words broke me, but I wouldn't allow myself to show it. _'He's giving in... Even earlier when he knew he was going to lose, he was still willing to fight... But now...'_ I grimaced as I recalled Trubbish, who seemed irritated at being called out for nothing.

Burgh looked me in the eye and then held out his palm with the three pokeballs. "Here."

I took a few shaky steps to Burgh and reluctantly took the pokeballs from his palm. "But why..?" I muttered to myself almost inaudibly.

"I may as well accept defeat... After all, I don't have a fighting chance," he hummed to himself; apparently he heard me talk to myself. "Momentarily," he added in sinisterly.

The female grunt that was next to Bronius ran up to me while holding a metal carrying case. "Lady Hilda," she greeted me while holding open the container.

"'Lady..?'" echoed Burgh, confusion apparent in his voice. "Are you a figurehead or some docile doll?"

_'This is my chance...'_ I realized when I saw the grunt's face glow red. Without diverting my glance, I slipped one of Burgh's pokeballs under my left glove. I contemplated whether I should sneak in one more, but only handing in two pokeballs would be questionable enough.

"Do not question her authority!" snapped the grunt.

Burgh turned to me. "Just what 'authority' do you have?" he asked curiously.

"You tell me..." I muttered with a shrug. I sighed and then answered, "I'm an admin."

Burgh was visually surprised at my revelation.

I turned to the grunt and dropped two of Burgh's pokeballs into the container. They dropped with a "clank" and then the grunt bowed and scurried away back to Bronius' side. _'Just like a sick puppy.'_

"Is that all?" Bronius asked, unconvinced.

I tensed up in my spot. _'Did he notice one was missing?'_

Burgh pursed his lips and turned away from Bronius. He was unsure where to rest his gaze and decided upon staring at the wall behind me.

He raised an eyebrow. "_Only_ two pokemon with you?"

A look of confusion hit Burgh's face again. "Two..?" he murmured to himself as he checked his pocket.

"No," I cut in before Burgh could object. "He has a Smeargle hidden in the back room."

Burgh looked at me with utter disbelief.

"What back room?" Bronius snapped, clearly irked that he didn't notice one.

Burgh and I stepped away as Bronius marched his was over to the scoreboard. He looked around and was unable to find the door until I pointed it out to him. He and his two groupies charged into the back room in a huff.

Burgh looked at me cautiously but couldn't think of anything to ask.

"Where's that fossil that N gave you?" I asked.

Burgh put a hand on his hip. "As if I'd tell you."

_'Good.'_ And with that, I turned away walked through the door after Bronius, only to have him come back out.

"You. Collect the trainers' pokemon in this gym," Bronius ordered abruptly. "And when you're done, supervise the city to make sure everything is moving along swimmingly."

I nodded. "Yes, Lord Bronius," I replied monotonously. I thought I saw Burgh go slack-jawed from the corner of my eye, but I paid no heed to it.

The female grunt with the carrying case came out from behind Bronius and marched to my side.

"We will scavenge the gym leader's property," declared Bronius as he re-entered the hidden hallway.

The grunt by my side looked at me. "Shall we?" She waited for me to move.

I nodded and descended the stairs, only to be stopped by Burgh's voice.

"I didn't know you had a Trubbish... When did you add him to your team?"

"..." I was hesitant to answer. "I didn't. My old team has been liberated."

* * *

Charging through honey walls was not a fun task.

However, with a grunt behind me, I had no choice. Through the various rooms, I noted that there was at least one trainer residing in each, only to be grouped up on by three grunts per trainer. I had to watch them be defeated by mediocre grunts and take away their pokemon. Thankfully, I was the one they ruefully handed them to, so I was able to save one of everyone's pokemon and slip them into my glove. I was thankful that the grunt I was with was a moron; it looked like I was growing a sixth finger from my palm.

When I was finally done reigning around the gym, Bronius had found Burgh's friend's Smeargle and had declared that the "renegade trainers" be put under house arrest with Burgh. Bronius decided to stay behind to "educate" Burgh and the others of their expected behavior.

Now I was supposed to supervise the city, or something, which meant getting out of this place so I was cool with it.

I looked down at my palm, irked by the obviousness of a hidden item under my glove. I glanced both ways before deciding that no one was around to witness me slipping the pokeballs into my satchel. After doing so, I opened the door and stepped outside, Bronius' long ranting now behind me. I readied myself for battling, commanding, and anything else related to what I had to do.

But this was more than I braced myself for.

_'Was outside the gym always this... Loud?!' _I thought, bewildered. My right eye twitched a little at the noises that I wasn't expecting.

I heard a lot of yelling. More than I had in the past few days, and all the screaming from Nacrene City was but a whisper compared to now. Yelling, shouting, screaming, running, booming... Many sounds intruding my ears, accompanied by the haunting sound of N's voice which was faint but clear. It came from all directions, echoing among all of the other pandemonium. The message was still repeating all this time.

My head was slightly pinging from the distant booming of what I assumed to be pokemon battles. It took me a moment to come to my senses and look around me. A sea of people running in all different directions; it was almost impossible to keep my eye trained on one particular person. Most were running away and screaming. I could make out the faint lines of Team Plasma grunt hoods, so it was easy to deduct that Team Plasma grunts were chasing people around.

_'That's just moronic,'_ I decided, shaking my head.

I noticed small pokemon being held in the arms of the trainers running away. I figured that they might have complied and handed in their pokemon had they not been intimidated by screaming grunts running alongside leaping Liepards.

_'But... I've never seen Castelia City this packed!' _And that was truly saying something. _'I wonder how mom and Cheren's parents are faring in this...' _My eyes widened. _'Oh shoot, mom!'_ My head shot in the direction of Team Plasma's "secret" base. From what I could tell, grunts were running in and out of it nonstop. _'I can't just go in there..!'_ I realized. _'The grunts will probably stop me or something!'_ I shook my head. _'Why am I so spineless..?'_

I tried to step in the crowd to get somewhere, but the step I was going to take was intercepted by a little girl running towards the fountain some distance away.

_'There are so many people that just walking in the street will be a chore...'_ I thought with a scowl. _'Everyone in Castelia City must be out on the streets! Are all of these giant buildings empty or something?!'_

Yesterday, these people were so emotionless and cold. Today, they took up fear and strife, yet I couldn't help but wonder what this fear was. Was it losing their companions or was it just of Team Plasma's impulsiveness? I decided on the latter when I saw a businessman literally throw the Pikachu in his arms at a grunt just to make her stop pursuing him.

_'That's just not right...'_ I judged with a face of horror. I traced him in the crowd for a second before losing track of him. If I knew where he went off to, I would've chased him down and beat him myself.

My horror only grew when I saw people shoving each other to get away. There was no unity in Castelia City. It made sense seeing how there were so many people, ranging from businessmen to tourists to trainers, not to mention the cult artists and musicians, but it was pretty ironic considering that this place housed the Unity Tower.

_'Bronius said that I had to supervise the liberation, but what's there to supervise?!' _I tried to step foot in the streets again, but to no avail. I did, however, get my foot stepped on; I'll be expecting a bruise not too soon. _'And what the heck am I supposed to supervise anyway?! How would I even get there?!'_

That's when I decided that Bronius was crazy. Well, that was a given, but reminding myself wasn't unwelcomed.

I grunted in frustration. _'My ears are starting to hurt! Not that they weren't before, but now they really hurt...'_ I winced as a piercing scream stood out from the rest of the chaos. _'Maybe... I can just shove my way through?' _I put my hands in front of my like a diver would and edged my way into the running crowd, only to be nearly trampled.

Standing still in a sea of people was not my best idea. I was being shoved from all of my sides and various hands threatened to trample me over. Whether it was a regular civilian or a Team Plasma grunt, no one seemed to notice who they nearly trampled. Being in the heart of the noise as well, I felt like I would be deaf and flattened by the end of the day.

"What does this guy want me to do?!" I screeched, frustrated.

Of course, I was drowned out and no one heard me.

* * *

A very long time later, I found the streets thinning out, and while they were still crowded more than usual I could make out individual people and could finally move in the streets without bruising my foot.

In all honesty, all I did was walk around. I still didn't know what the heck I was supposed to supervise; the grunts seemed to be terrorizing the citizens of Castelia City fine on their own.

Even though the crowds thinned out, though only barely, that only amplified the fighting going on; each step I took surpassed a battlefield of various grunts and trainers. I noted that anyone who fought back was either young, so I assumed that they were trainers on their journey, or were workers on the piers.

When I passed the Pokemon Center, I noticed that Team Plasma took it over. That wasn't a surprise, of course. Endless grunts were running in and out of it, or at least from what I could tell from seeing bobbing white heads snaking through the crowds.

Stories above the Pokemon Center, I saw that the electric billboard had too been wired. N was on screen, but I assumed that it was just the endless message relaying itself over and over again. While no sound came from the screen itself, words were still heard. The message was still replaying itself on radios and televisions across the city, so I could still faintly hear the broadcast through all of the yelling and bombardments of pokemon attacks.

Other than these few observations, I was in a daze this whole time. It felt like mere minutes, but it had been hours of me just walking around. Hopefully my mindless wandering about would suffice as "supervising."

After circumventing the whole city, I found myself in front of the gym again. The sky was a mid-tone of purple. By now, most things have died down. The streets of the city was back to how many people usually walked through it, only instead of the usual hustle and bustle, no one was running to their destinations. Businessmen and women went by with looks of indifference. Young people, my age give or take, were a different story. They skulked by with faces that said, "Why bother?"

Team Plasma was still aggressive, but not taking action. Various grunts, maybe half of the population that was passing my sight, marched along cautiously; maybe they had been told to patrol?

Everyone had stopped yelling; all battles within the vicinity were finished. The absence of pokemon trekking behind their trainers was uncanny and not well received; by me, at least.

I took another look at the gym doors and sighed. _'It's now or never...'_ I hesitantly opened the gym door, resulting in my mouth to go agape. _'What happened?!'_

The gym was in ruins.

The columns that had been put up to make sections in the gym suffice as "rooms" were knocked down. In their place were pieces of undecipherable dry wall and rubble. Scorch marks were there, but other than that, there was no other evidence of a fire. I saw the corners of portrait frames sticking out from smithereens. The walls of honey no longer stood as they lay slathered on the dirtied ground.

The gym looked like a wasteland.

Some surviving walls still stood with burn-holes peeping through them. This was clearly an intentional attack.

_'Did Bronius do this..?' _I wondered, still bewildered at the sight before me as I walked across the rubble, my shoes making cracking sounds beneath my feet. I walked slowly, almost as if I was scared I would break anything else. The dust covered floor exploded into mini clouds with each echoing step I took.

Everything looked so fragile and destroyed, contrasting with the still radiantly green walls that managed to survive.

I squeaked with surprise when I stepped on something, only to realize that it was a floor switch hidden under the rubble. I noticed a few gate spikes poking out of the remains of the honey walls.

I was in a daze this whole time until I made it to what would be the end of the maze, but I had only walked around a few walls. It might have been a straight path, but various tall piles of destroyed walls prevented me from climbing or even stepping over them.

I felt like I had just walked through a war zone by the time I reached the end of the gym. The stairs leading up to the gym battlefield were unscathed. I could only hope that Bronius didn't damage Burgh's four remaining rooms.

I cautiously trekked up the stairs; I felt like they too were fragile and might disintegrate upon my touch. When I made it up, I saw Burgh and the handful of trainers from earlier. _'So did Bronius put them all under house arrest too?'_

One of these trainers caught sight of me. He scowled and pointed in my direction. "She's back!" he screeched angrily.

Various heads shot in my direction; expressions full of ire and depression were shot at me.

Burgh turned around and didn't look surprised to see me at all.

I could still feel my eyes wide from earlier; I had still not gotten over the surprise of Team Plasma's destruction. "Burgh..." I attempted to ask what happen, but all that I managed to do was croak out his name.

Burgh turned back to look at the handful of trainers. "Would all of you go to the back room? I'd like a word with her alone."

They all nodded and walked to the back of the gym battlefield, though I noted that one trainer was hesitant, still sending me scowls with every few steps he took. It was the one who had called out my presence. He didn't look too much younger than me.

Once they were gone, Burgh turned around once more. He gave me a hard stare. "And why are you here?" His voice was demanding, but I couldn't sense any tone of rage.

"Certainly not to take in the sights..." I muttered as I dug through my satchel. I found the pocket where I stored all of the pokeballs from earlier and took them out. "This was all I managed to save..." I admitted regretfully. "I think everyone has one pokemon."

Burgh didn't look surprised, but it was visually apparent that he wasn't expecting me to come back with this. He walked up to me and took all of the pokeballs from my open palms. "Is this..?"

I nodded. "I wish I could have saved all of them, but if I didn't drop anything in those cases, it would be suspicious," I explained. "You saw how Bronius noticed that I only put two in that metal thing."

"So that's where my third pokeball went..." he mused to himself, looking over the pokeballs I handed him. "I thought it had dropped."

"Sorry about your friend's Smeargle," I apologized as I hung my head down. "I had to get the suspicion off somehow... Selfish, I know."

"There's a reason you came back," Burgh stated, switching the topic. "I think I have an idea of why, but I'd like you to confirm it for me. Why are you here?"

"To return your pokemon, of course," I answered plainly. "I hardly agree with Team Plasma." I turned around and looked down at the destruction. "What happened to the gym?"

"..." Burgh walked up to me and stood by my side, also looking down at the wreckage. From the corner of my eye, I saw him dig through his pockets and eventually came out with a piece of paper. "That sage found this on the floor by the door... He's thinks that I'm in some sort of conspiracy against Team Plasma and threatened me."

"With what?" I asked reluctantly.

"He said that if I didn't reveal what I was hiding, he'd destroy my gym," Burgh explained, a masked hint of rage in his voice.

"And he did..." I murmured.

"Here," Burgh said as he handed me the note. "Do you know anything about this?"

I took the piece of paper. I took one glance and then I paled. _'This is..!'_ I gulped. "I caused this..." I grunted with regret. A strong feeling of guilt and anxiety was starting to eat me.

"Caused what?"

"This..!" I semi-exclaimed, opening my arms to gesture at the rubbish. "It's my fault..!"

I flipped the note over to read the words. No doubt that some were missing when I ripped it to look like a "P."

_"-perfected  
__-see you. I  
-my past  
-know that in order to advance in my results, I mustn't just learn from my mistakes, but keep them around to revel in my improvement. That's aside the point though. I've noticed that you've never addressed me by my name. Is it because my daughter and I harbor the same last name? The next time you see me, I expect you to call me by my first name, Cedric."_

The note that I tried to warn Burgh with yesterday.

When I had ripped the card to form a "P," my name had been consequentially ripped out, along with some other words.

"What do you mean?" asked Burgh, surprise unhidden in his voice.

"It's from yesterday," I explained, my voice rasping with frustration. "I was trying to warn you about today, so I ripped a piece of paper to form a 'P' for 'Plasma.' I didn't have anything to write with, so this was the only thing I could think of." I shook my head. _'I should have never done this... I should have just came out to Burgh last night and risked N overhearing me creep into his room...' _I thought with regret. "This is all my fault... I'm sorry, Burgh," I apologized as I continued to glare down at the wreckage disbelievingly.

Burgh decided not to acknowledge my apology. "Did you say that this was yours and you dropped it here yesterday?"

I solemnly nodded my head. _'How can I be so stupid?!'_ I gritted my teeth in frustration. _'Ever since Team Plasma came along with their little 'liberations,' all I've managed to do was make it worse for everyone!' _I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. _'I'm a plague.'_

"So you knew this would happen?" Burgh continued to question.

I nodded again. "It's all my fault... You didn't see the chaos out there..." I muttered. "Outside of the gym doors..."

"Instead of ripping up some paper, why didn't you tell me?" he demanded. I noted that he didn't seem angry or frustrated, only inquisitve. "Or better yet... Answer that later."

I pursed my lips, waiting for his questions.

"Why are you an admin of Team Plasma?" he started off as we both continued to glumly stare at the wreckage just at the foot of the staircase in front of us.

"Because N wanted me to," I explained.

"I doubt that's all..."

"You're right." I sighed, preparing myself for a lengthy explanation. "You see, Team Plasma took over Nuvema Town about a week ago."

Burgh nodded, sensing that this would be a story of some sort.

"You remember Cheren and Bianca, right?" The question was rhetorical, of course. "Bianca's the one that had her Munna stolen by Team Plasma. You, me, and Iris chased them down until we found their warehouse across the street," I recalled. "And I think Cheren won a badge from you some time later."

Burgh nodded again. "Yes, I do remember. What of them?"

"The three of us were able to keep our pokemon," I continued. "Clandestinely, of course."

"So you didn't give Team Plasma your pokemon?" Burgh asked, relief evident in his voice.

I nodded. "Yeah..." I looked away from the rubble, trying to remember every detail. "They were caught, though, and detained with the two Professor Junipers."

"So this note, did Cedric Juniper send it to you?"

"Well, he left it for me."

"Hm..?" hummed Burgh, trying to make sense of my words.

"While Cheren and Bianca still had their pokemon, I had rescued N's Vanillite at one point, causing him to trust me," I explained. "His trust in me compelled him to ask me to join."

"But why would you accept?" inquired Burgh, a loom of suspicion hinted in his tone. "I'd think that you out of all people would deny such a request."

"And I did the first two times," I informed him. "By the third time, Cheren and Bianca were within Team Plasma's custody."

"So he blackmailed you?" Burgh asked disbelievingly.

"Well, not him. Ghetsis did," I explained. "You know, the one we found in the warehouse?"

"Why would he want _you _to join?" Burgh questioned. "You out his secret base, after all."

"Apparently, to appease N," I explained. "He threatened me and said that if I didn't join, he'd do something dire. He wasn't bluffing..." I ranted. "He did something to Cheren and Bianca, and I don't even know _what_," I claimed, frustrated.

"I see..." Burgh couldn't think of the words to say to that. It was obvious that he didn't want to fuel my frustration any more; that, or he just wanted me to stop venting. "So this note..."

"The five of us were thinking of ways to run Team Plasma out of town," I answered. "When they went missing, I found that small letter in the lab."

Burgh nodded wordlessly, a look of thoughtfulness on his face. "I'm sorry..."

"Why are _you _apologizing?!" I retorted. "I caused _this_!" I claimed, gesturing my hands at the destitute gym.

"You didn't have a choice," countered Burgh, a tone of understanding in his voice. "Your friends' fates were on the line, were they not?"

"They were, but-"

"There's no need to apologize then," Burgh cut me off with a stern voice. "You did it to save your friends, not yourself."

"But-"

Burgh shook his head and held up a hand to stop me. "Had someone dear to me had been taken as a hostage, I would've done the same." Burgh took back the card from my hand and looked at it. "Besides, you tried, didn't you? If N had caught you alerting me, something would've happened to your friends, I presume." Burgh glanced to the side. "You see, I had a looming suspicion that you didn't join on your own free will," explained Burgh, "though I had nothing to confirm it until now," he finished, holding up one of the few pokeballs I gave to him.

I suddenly recalled how earlier Bronius had claimed that the extent of my loyalty to Team Plasma wasn't known, followed by Burgh asking me why I joined Team Plasma. When I didn't answer, he said that my silence sufficed as an answer itself.

"But did you say that you were conspiring to run Team Plasma out?"

I nodded. "I don't have contact with my friends or the professors any more, though," I explained. "Once I hit Striaton City, the Striaton brothers joined in on my little 'resistance.' Lenora too after Nacrene City, though they're under house arrest so they can't contact each other."

"Under house arrest..." repeated Burgh. "Just like we are."

"'We?'" I echoed.

"The gym challengers who fought back were also ordered to be detained here," explained Burgh. "Bronius doesn't want them out on the streets again, even though Castelia City isn't the hometown to even one of them. Or homecity."

"Oh," was all I could manage to say.

"This 'resistance' of yours..." Burgh started off. "When you walked in, the gym challengers and I were planning a counter attack of our own."

"And how's that going?" I asked eagerly. _'Hopefully he has something in mind... I've accomplished nothing on my own.'_

"Well, our first plan was to get our hands on some pokemon, but thanks to you, we have that accomplished."

_'At least I did something right for_ _once...'_ I thought with a false sense of accomplishment."And what now?"

"We're going to train them until we're strong enough to bust out of the city," explained Burgh.

I nodded. _'It's more productive than anything I could think of, anyway.'_

"What do you say to uniting?" asked Burgh.

"'Uniting?'" I echoed. "What do you mean by that?"

"Power in numbers, Hilda," informed Burgh. "If it's alright with you, I'd like it if we both worked together under your leadership."

I was baffled. "Me?! Why?"

"Because I trust that you'll lead us in the right direction," Burgh answered simply.

"But I caused _this_!" I repeated once more, gesturing to the gym. _'And please! Stop using the word 'trust' around me! I'm undeserving!'__  
_

"Why did you save our pokemon?" questioned Burgh.

"Well, because I believe in the bonds of trainers and pokemon, and because..."

"You were expecting us to take action, right?" finished Burgh.

"..." I wondered, _'Did I really..?'_ It was certainly believable. I glanced away. _'It appears that I have a second motive of my own.'_

"Plus, I can't leave this place," informed Burgh. "I'd hate to know of the consequences."

"..." I was still speechless. Even after I caused the destruction of Burgh's gym and after I separated him and most of his pokemon, he still trusted me? "B-But the trainers... You saw how that one looked at me. They'll never accept me as some sort of 'leader.'"

Burgh shook his head. "If they knew _why _you're an admin and that you've saved as many of their pokemon as you could, they'd welcome you with open arms," countered Burgh. "I've spent the past few hours getting to know them, and a few of them remind me of you."

"Burgh, I can't just give everyone a sob story and expect them to melt in my hands," I retorted. "But... If that's what it takes to get your forgiveness-"

"You have nothing to be sorry about," cut off Burgh with a stern voice. "Whether you were an admin or not, Team Plasma would have still tried to overtake Castelia City."

"But your gym-"

"Somehow, I think Bronius would have found an excuse to destroy this place anyway," cited Burgh in deep thought. "He still seemed sore that I, well we, discovered Team Plasma's 'secretive' base some time ago."

"Alright," I replied, nodding. I knew that I couldn't budge Burgh to come to his senses, but I was grateful to gain yet another ally. "Now that fossil N gave you..."

"Ah! Yes, I have it right here," Burgh claimed as he pulled the fossil out of thin air and handed it to me. "Since you're in contact with Lenora, I think that it's best that she held onto it."

I nodded in agreement. "Alright." I turned to the concealed door that leads to the hidden hallway. "Should I stay around to tell them the news?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I think it would be best if you weren't here while I explain this," informed Burgh.

"I agree." It wasn't a lie, either. "Before I go... Is there anything you'd like me to pass on to Lenora or the Striaton brothers?"

"Hm..." Burgh hummed to himself. His mood seems to have lightened. "Not that I can think of at the moment."

"Then... I'll see you when I can," I claimed as I started descended the stairs.

"Hilda."

I turned around.

Burgh was looking down at me with hope. "You _will _help me take back this city, won't you?"

I smirked. _'Of course I will! Why wouldn't I?!'_ I nodded. "You just better not start without me."

Burgh smiled at my response, content with my answer. With that, he turned around and walked out of my sight, most likely back to the group of trainers he had shacked up in the back room.

I turned around and started to trek through the wasteland that used to be the Castelia gym.

* * *

"This is taking so long..!" I muttered as I continued to walk through Pinwheel Forest. It was already pitch black and I barely make out the ground before me. I could have sworn I saw the silhouette of someone following me, but it could have easily been trees swaying with the night breeze. _'I won't have to walk this long distance every day, will I?'_

I saw something red glowing in the distance; it was most likely a pokemon doing something. Were the pokemon of Pinwheel Forest nocturnal?

"I wish _I _was nocturnal..." I muttered, followed by a sigh. "I'll barely have any time to sleep by the time I get home..." I murmured to myself. Suddenly, I tipped over something. "Gah!" I face-planted to the floor and felt mud wallow through my fingers. I grumbled to myself as I stood up and dusted myself off. I tried to adjust my eyes in the darkness, only to make out a human silhouette crouching on the ground. "Oh..! Sorry!" I apologized as I held out a hand. "Did I hurt you?"

"No. I'm alright," the voice claimed as he groped thin air for my hand; he probably couldn't see too well in the darkness, just like me. After a second he finally found my hand and took it to assist in hoisting himself up.

_'I've heard this guy's voice before...'_ I pursed my lips, trying to remember. It hit me when the person finished standing up and I was able to apply his height to mine; we were the same height. '_Oh shoot! It's N!'_ My eyes went wide. "O-Oh, uh, my King! I'm sorry, I didn't see you!" I apologized hurriedly. _'Cheren and Bianca are dead..! They're dead! Ghetsis is going to kill them!__'_

"Hilda..?" asked N. It was evident that he didn't know it was me until now. I could barely make out his face, but he seemed slightly surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, uh, I was walking home," I explained, scratching my head.

"I recall you having a Zubat..." N remembered, a small hint of annoyance in his tone. "Couldn't you just have flown home?"

"I don't have the HM for 'fly' with me," I explained. "Plus... I don't think Zubat knows where Nuvema Town is."

"I see..." N muttered to himself.

"So, um... Why are _you _here?" I asked. "It's the dead of the night."

"I was releasing some pokemon native to this area," explained N as he turned around.

'_So that's why he was crouching on the ground...' _I admired how he did some of the liberating himself, but it was still an action that I was against.

"They all seemed quite thankful to be let free," mused N. "They had an overbearing labor back in Castelia City."

_'So I'm going to assume that they're the pokemon from the pier; most likely Conkeldurrs.'_ I looked in the distance trying to spot them, but to no avail; it was just too dark. "I, um, don't suppose you know if I have anything I need to do tomorrow."

N turned around. Though he didn't say anything, I assumed that his facial expression was quizzical.

"I mean... Is there a liberation in Nimbasa City that I need to attend?"

From what I could tell, N shook his head. "No. There was too much resistance in Castelia City for me to be comfortable with continuing on,"' he explained. "Castelia City is the largest place of gathering in Unova... I want to be sure that there are no more pokemon under the captivity of trainers, so I want to wait a few days while we do various inspections."

I nodded, but then remembered that N most likely couldn't see me doing so. "I see."

"However, the sages have urged me to not partake in this. They think that as King and as the one to subdue the Unity tower single-handedly, I should be given a break before the next liberation." N paused for a second.

_'He subdued the Unity Tower all on his own?!'_ I thought, bewildered. _'Taking this guy down is going to take some effort,'_ I realized. The Zekrom was a giant threat alone, but I'd at least expect that he had some help in overtaking the _Unity Tower_.

"What were you planning to do tomorrow?" questioned N.

"Nothing." And that was an honest answer. I never really thought ahead often.

"Vanillish has been longing to see you," informed N. "Would you mind?"

"No, of course not," I replied. "I haven't even seen him since he evolved."

"Then I'll drop by tomorrow," N decided; his tone implied that he was content with something I said.

"Sure. Anytime, my King." By now, his title became like a verbal tick; it just came to me naturally. "Is there anything else?"

"Not momentarily."

"Alright," I replied as I continued to walk away and continued my path home. _'But if I'm passing through Nacrene City, maybe I can update Lenora and give her Burgh's fossil.'_

"Oh, um..." He seemed like he wanted to say something but decided not to. "Goodbye," I heard N mutter behind me as he created footsteps of his own in the other direction.

* * *

I was relieved when I saw no grunts guarding the museum. The few streetlamps that were on gave me a sense of security, dimly illuminating a small circumference around them.

I welcomed myself in the museum; all of the lights were on. I heard a faint buzzing coming from the back room so I hopped over the counter on my right and went in the back corridor.

Lenora was leaning over a machine. She didn't notice me until I walked up behind her. "Oh, Hilda! You're back already!" She had a smile on her face.

"That's okay, right?" I asked unsurely.

"Of course it is!" Lenora replied. "I assume you're here to pick up Cilan's Lileep?"

_'Oh, right!' _I remembered. _'I forgot about that...'_ I nodded. "I also have another request, if you don't mind."

Lenora looked inquisitive. "What might that be?"

"Burgh had a fossil," I explained, "and today Team Plasma took over Castelia City."

Lenora frowned. "So soon?" she asked. "And_ Castelia_ City?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I was surprised too... Team Plasma even destroyed Burgh's gym."

Lenora's eyes widened. "What do you mean by 'destroyed?'"

I was hesitant to answer. "They completely wrecked it."

Lenora hung her head for a second while wearing an ire expression. "So, you said Burgh had a fossil?" she asked, trying to switch the topic at hand.

"Uh-huh." I dug it out of my satchel and handed it to her. "What kind of fossil is it?"

Lenora scrutinized the fossil carefully. After about a minute, she answered, "It's an armor fossil."

"An armor fossil..." I echoed. "That's Shieldon, right?"

"Mhm." Lenora nodded as she carefully set the fossil down on a table. "It's a rock/steel type."

"So, what were you working on?" I asked. "I heard buzzing."

"I was reviving the second fossil I had," she explained. "It was actually a claw fossil."

"Anorith, right?" I asked. "The rock/bug type?"

Lenora nodded. "You know a lot about fossils, don't you?" she asked, impressed.

I shrugged. "Just what I hear around. I'm no expert."

Lenora laughed as she walked over to another table and grabbed something. She held it up. It was a pokeball.

"And this is for Cilan?" I asked to confirm.

Lenora nodded. "I'm nearly done reviving this fossil, if you'd like to stay around. Tell me, how is Burgh?"

"Aside from the destroyed gym..." I replied, "Pretty good. He's under house arrest with some gym challengers that fought Team Plasma; they've joined the resistance," I explained, using a jocose tone when referring to our "resistance." I was happy that Lenora and I could talk so casually, considering earlier events.

"Then maybe Burgh can put this Anorith to use," claimed Lenora as the machine behind her made a noise that requested her attention. She opened a drawer and pulled out a pokeball and walked over to the machine. She started doing something, but since her back was turned to me, I didn't know exactly what that was. It was easy to deduct that she was finishing up reviving the Anorith. "By any chance," Lenora spoke up over the slight static, "do you know where my husband is?"

I solemnly shook my head until I remembered that her back was turned to me. "No, sorry... That matter wasn't in my hands," I replied. _'Or any matters, anyway.__'_

"I see..." she replied monotonously.

"I'll see what I can find out, but I can't make any promises," I explained. "I'm not exactly anyone's favorite."

Lenora nodded but said no more.

Not wanting to bring up an awkward silence, I asked, "Why are you up so late?"

"While Team Plasma hasn't checked up on me yet, I thought it would be safer to work at night," she explained.

"Ah." It made sense. _'Maybe the Striaton brothers came up with the same logic,' _I thought a little hopefully.

Suddenly, the static sound that the machine was making died down. I saw a flash of a red light and then Lenora turned back to me, holding out a pokeball. She gripped the other one and handed both to me.

I took them in both of my hands. I held up my left. "Lileep." I held up my right. "Anorith."

Lenora nodded. "That is correct. Now, if you're going to make it to Striaton City before you get home, you should get going now," Lenora suggested. "It's late enough already."

I nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Lenora," I said as I stuffed both pokeballs in my satchel. _'I didn't originally plan to go to Striaton City today, but it makes perfect sense that I should.' _I went to exit the room. When I was one foot out the door, Lenora's voice stopped me, causing me to halt.

"By the way... That uniform," she commentated thoughtfully. "You look like a bandit/pirate crossover. Fits, doesn't it?" she jested.

I made a sound of annoyance and grimaced, not that she could see it. I could hear her booming laughter even as I left the museum.

* * *

The Striaton Gym wasn't being guarded either.

_'Does Team Plasma know that they've intimidated the gym leaders enough that they wouldn't leave?'_ I wondered. I welcomed myself in the gym.

The first fire curtain was draped down as my ears were enchanted with sounds of battling.

I smirked. _'Looks like they're getting a battle session in.'_ I walked over to the curtain and held it up as I ducked under it. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" I asked jocosely. "Are you training pokemon for some kind of rebellion? I'm afraid I'll have to have you all punished for this."

From a distance, I saw Chili waving at me ecstatically while the others were sitting at a dining table giving me nods of acknowledgment. When I realized that both Cress and Fennel were sitting on the sidelines, my eyes drifted to a person in front of me whom I didn't notice.

Her back was to me, but as soon as I spoke, she froze and hesitantly turned around. She seemed young and a face of horror struck her features upon laying eyes on me. Her mouth went agape, twitching a little, and I swore I saw a hint of tears at the corner of her eyes. A Snivy ran up behind her and perched himself on her shoulder, mirroring her fearful expression.

I felt a little awkward. "Um..."

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, falling to her knees. "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"

"U-Uh..." All I could do was look at her.

"I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!" she screeched, taking the Snivy from her shoulder and hugging him for dear life. "Please don't hurt Snivy either! It was all my fault!"

"Hey, um, I'm not going to-"

The girl started wailing.

_'I made a little girl cry...'_ I realized with horror. _'My presence makes little girls cry..!' _I held out my hand to help her up but she didn't see it. _'What am I supposed to do?!' _I thought guiltily. I looked up at Chili across the battlefield and sent him a pleading look. _'Help?! Please?!'_

Chili mirrored my worried face but shrugged. He gestured over to the other four sitting at a table, who also looked uncomfortable, but they all looked away, pretending not to see me looking at them.

I scowled at them and then crouched down by the girl's side. _'Alright, time to comfort a crying girl...'_ I held out my hand and tried to smile. "U-Um... Hey there, um... Girl... That's a lovely Snivy you have there..."

Suddenly, the girl started wailing louder as she closed in on a complete fetal position. I was worried that she was suffocating her Snivy when I saw vines twitching to get out from her hold.

I flinched back and stood up while sending daggers with my eyes at Chili standing at the other side of the battlefield. He energetically mouthed some incomprehensible words while shrugging. I mouthed gibberish back while furiously gesturing to the crying girl.

Finally, Chili vigorously mouthed what seemed like an "okay" and ran his fingers through his haid. "Hilda's not here to take your Snivy _or _to punish you..." Chili informed the girl from a distance. His voice implied that he too was worried that he would say more words to set her off. "Hilda's a good guy!" he added in more confidently.

The girl looked up at me with fearful eyes as her Snivy poked his head from out of her hold, gasping for air. "B-But you're the lady from the b-broadcast!"

I scratched my head and flashed her a sheepish smile. "_Yeaah_, about that..."

The girl looked up at me with a hopeful face but fearful eyes.

"I'm not in Team Plasma because I want to be," I explained. _'She probably doesn't want to hear my long sob story...'_

"Yeah!" Chili chimed in cautiously as he started to approach the two of us. "Hilda's the one who gave Cress and I our pokemon back."

I nodded, confirming Chili's assertion. _'Both of them have both. Wait... Both?' _I then realized that I probably could have saved all of Burgh's pokemon if I feigned putting them in like I did with that one grunt. _'Man! Stupid!'_ I scolded myself.

"Th-Then... You're not g-going to take S-Snivy?" she asked cautiously while she wiped the last of her tears and stood up.

_'She was probably scared for her life.' _I shook my head and smiled. "Though I am curious; how did you evade the mass collection?"

The girl sniffled a little, indicating that she wasn't ready for an explanation.

"Allow me," a voice said.

I looked up at the source and noticed that all five of them walked over to the girl.

The source of the voice was Cress. "This is the gym challenger that was hiding in the gym on the day of the raid," he explained.

"Oh... So she evaded the grunts?" I asked, impressed. "How long was she hiding?"

"Not very long!" Chili answered proudly.

I raised an eyebrow. "So what? The grunts went in and out?" I asked. _'Morons...'_

Chili shook his head. "No! She totally juked them!"

Cress smirked. "She was convincing enough to trick even us."

I looked at the girl who had fully recovered. "So what did you do?" I asked temptingly.

"She took Snivy out of his pokeball and stuffed him in her backpack," Chili answered passionately. "Then she handed the grunt an empty pokeball!" Chili's eyes were sparkling. "I'm truly inspired, I really am!" he claimed, patting his chest where his heart should be.

"Then, she left the premises as quickly as she could to evade being searched," continued Cress at a much tamer tone. "It was a convincing performance."

I nodded, impressed. "Way to go. You must be the only one in the city who was able to keep her pokemon," I congratulated.

"W-Well, I knew that everything you said was true, so I was going to release Snivy, but I wanted to do it personally," she explained shakily. It was clear that she felt comfortable telling me, but at the same time, was anticipating when I would call out "sike!" and jump her. "I came here tonight to tell Chili what I was doing, but he said that I should keep my Snivy... So, I did..." She then looked at me with watery eyes. "Please, _please_, don't tell!"

I smiled. "Of course not."_  
_

Before we could continue our conversation, Cilan cut in. "So, uh, Hilda... Why are you here?" he questioned. "Not that we mind, but you usually only come here when you have something for us..."

"Just so you know, I don't have any money," Fennel informed me.

_'Money..?'_ I wondered. _'What would she need money for..? Oh, right. Chili and Cress 'bribed' me.'_ I gave an awkward chuckle. "_Yeah_, about that..."

"Explanations can come later," Cress cut in. "We're not exactly pressed for time, but we shouldn't waste it either."

I nodded. "Right. Save all of your questions for later," I agreed. "First off, I have something for you, Cilan."

"M-Me?" Cilan stepped up.

I rustled through my satchel until I found Lileep's pokeball and handed it to him. "A gift from Lenora," I clarified.

Cilan looked at the pokeball curiously before releasing the pokemon within. All eyes were on the red light as Lileep materialized.

"Lileep!" the Lileep screeched in excitement as she was released from her pokeball.

_'If I was a fossil, I'd be excited for fresh air too,' _I admitted. _'How long were you cooped up like that? Hundreds of years? Thousands of years?'_ I shuddered when I tried to think of that kind of solitude. Ilooked around and only saw confused faces. "This is a Lileep," I explained. _'If it wasn't obvious by its cry,'_ I added in mentally. "It's a grass/rock type."

Cilan's facial expression lightened up when I revealed that Lileep was part grass type. He crouched down to Lileep's eye level. "It looks like we'll be together for a while."

"Lileep!" she cheered with what I'd assume was a smile.

Cilan returned Lileep to her pokeball and waited for me to continue.

"So, Lenora's in on the resistance and so is Burgh," I listed off, "if that's okay with you guys."

Cress smirked while Cilan nodded. "Why wouldn't it be?" questioned Chili.

I shrugged. "That being said... Team Plasma took over Castelia City today," I revealed. I took a loot at the time on my C-Gear. "Or... Yesterday?"

Suprise surfaced on everyone's faces, followed by a silence.

"I know... I was surprised that they succeeded too," I admitted. "In the process... They even demolished Burgh's gym."

The Striaton brothers hung their heads low. "Aw man..." commented Chili.

"And you know how I said that Burgh was in?" I asked rhetorically. "Well, he had gym challengers in today, and most of them stayed to fight. They lost in the end and were put under house arrest in the gym. They and Burgh started conspiring, and let's just say, they merged with us."

Cress fleered. "The more of us, the better. Especially if they took over a place like Castelia City."

Fennel pursed her lips and glanced away.

"Is there something wrong, Professor Fennel?" I asked. My question caused everyone to look her way.

"Professor..?" Amanita followed up.

"Well, N defeated the Pokemon League without any assistance from Team Plasma," she relayed, "and Team Plasma took over Unova's largest city in only a day... I'm starting to question if subduing Team Plasma is even possible."

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. _'Is it actually possible..? I hadn't thought of it that way...'_

"O-Of course it's possible!" piped up Amanita. "It has to be..!"

Fennel glanced away. "I hope so..."

"D'aww, Fennel, stop being so negative!" scolded Chili as he swung and arm around her shoulder and leaned on her.

Fennel smiled and nodded as shedelicately pried Chili's hand off of her shoulder. "Right."

"Is there anything else we should know about?" asked Cress, bringing us back to the topic at hand.

"Hm..." I hummed to myself as I tried to recall the day's events. "No, not that I can think of. Now, any questions?"

Amanita held her hand up and started to speak. "Um, yeah, so you said that Burgh, Lenora, and a bunch of other trainers joined _'our'_ resistance?" she started to ask. "Does that mean that you're in on it too? Why did you make Chili and Cress pay for their pokemon then?"

I had to restrain myself from a chuckle. "Yeah, I'm in too. Chili and Cress never bribed me, by the way. That was just an excuse."

"An excuse for what?"

"I didn't think you and Professor Fennel would take the news too well," I explained. "Well, the news that I was in Team Plasma, but trying to take them down from the inside."

"Why?"

"Just because of how I treated you guys, I guess..." I pursed my lips, waiting for the next question.

"U-Um..." started off the girl who was crying but a few moments ago. "So you joined Team Plasma just to take them down from the inside?"

Not wanting to rely on trying to win people over with a sob story, I nodded. "Mhm." It occurred to me that I should've told the truth, but if I did, I'd be wasting some time. The Striaton brothers knew my story anyway; they could fill her in. Chili and Cress sent me some looks, to which I shrugged to.

"So you were never in agreement with Team Plasma..." Fennel relayed to herself. "Then I think you should know something; in the Dream Yard, th-"

"Oh, don't worry," I assured her. "I know; Cilan filled me in on everything."

Fennel smiled. "Oh, alright then. So you'll be going there soon?" she asked hopefully

_'Oh, right. I'm supposed to pass on the info.'_ I nodded. I would pass by before I head home, but it would be nearly impossible to find anything in the Dream Yard with the sky this dark; earlier, I barely saw N even though he was right in front of me. "Anything more questions?"

Everyone, save for the girl with the Snivy, looked at each other before shaking their heads no.

"Alright, then I should get going," I decided.

"Wait," cut in Cilan. "I, uh, meant to to having any questions."

"Oh, okay. Shoot," I urged Cilan.

"The next time you see Lenora... Thank her for me."

"'Course."

"Actually, now I have a question," Cress interrupted. "As the leader of this 'rebellion,' what actions are we going to take?"

Fennel nodded in agreement. "We can't just stay idle and train in the shadows while Team Plasma overtakes Unova."

"... I'm the leader?" was all that I managed to say. _'And what is this, a press conference?'_

"Well of course," Cress answered in a matter-of-factly tone. "Who else but you?"

"..." I didn't know how to respond to that. Even if I did, I was sure we would just go back and fourth like Burgh and I did earlier.

"It's evident that you didn't think this through, did you?" Cress asked. "Don't worry about it... If I had the same burden as you did, I would've done the same."

"I'll start thinking now, I promise."

Cress nodded. "I trust you."

_''Trust...' Why are so many people using that word around me?!'_ _  
_

"And if you can get back to me about your findings in the Dream Yard, when you go that is, it would be well appreciated," Fennel chimed in.

"Of course, Professor Fennel."

"And I don't suppose you've been my my lab?"

"I have," I admitted. "I took your dream mist. Hehe... Sorry?"

To my surprise, Fennel looked relieved. "Ah, good," she sighed. "I rather it be in your hands as opposed to Team Plasma."

I myself was relieved that she wasn't angry.

"Oh my gosh! I almost forgot!" squeaked Amanita. "We have a plan!"

"What is it?" I asked eagerly.

"We tell everyone about The Genesect Project!" she suggested. "Genesect is exactly what Team Plasma preaches against!"

"That's... A good idea!" I admitted, my eyes widening with excitement. I was all for it until I remembered that I freed Genesect. "But we have no proof of its existence..."

"Oh... Right," she replied.

"What's a... 'Genesect?'" asked the girl with Snivy.

"It's a long explanation," Amanita told her, her mood crushed upon learning that the plan was defective. "Basically, it's an artificial pokemon that Team Plasma is trying to build a super weapon out of."

"I used to have a plan with dream mist, but now that Team Plasma took over Castelia City, it would be hard to accomplish," I claimed. "I'll come back soon."

Fennel looked down at her wrist. "I think both of you should get going... It's getting pretty late."

The Snivy girl and I looked at each other and nodded.

"Come back any time, you two!" Fennel called out for us as I lifted the curtain and the two of us ducked under it.

"Preferably at night when there's less likely of a chance of inspection," recommended Cress.

_'Finally...' _I thought. _'Time to go home.'_

* * *

**In a Daze and in a Nutshell : End**

* * *

I'm _really _sorry for the long update guys. I was having writer's block, not on the story, but just this chapter. It's pretty evident that I did by the repetitiveness and various time skips. Sorry for the filler-like chapter, but next chapter, I do plan on some N/Hilda buildup, so hopefully I can make it up to you guys.

So, I am an amateur writer and it shows, so can you guys give me some tips for when it comes to loud environments and "wastelands?"

Here's how I see gyms : The gym challengers have to fight each other upon eye contact along the way of getting to the gym leader himself/herself, just like they would on a route (save for two gyms, of course. Striaton Gym where you battle waiters and waitresses. Driftveil Gym too, but I'd say that place is half trainers, half workers. Then there's Elesa's Gym where you battle models, but that's in the sequel, not the first)

And it would appear that no one objects to Hilda/N in the story, and most of you actually want it. Those scenes are starting next chapter, but just a reminder : The words "I love you" will never be said, just because I feel that their relationship will be stronger that way (in this story at least).

By the way, when N recites his speech, most of it is ripped from Hilda's from Striaton City, word for word, hence Hilda finding it familiar. This wasn't because I'm unoriginal, this is just a little hint leading up to N's characterization. By the way, I feel like I made him too "soft." Opinions? By the way, N's wearing what he did in the opening cinematic.

And a poll for you guys : Who do you see as the main character for Black and White 2? Nate or Rosa? So far, Rosa's winning by a landslide! (By the way, that's 1 vote, LOL)

As for the girl with the Snivy, I think I forgot to write in that she had a backpack when I wrote the chapter with Cress' POV . (But I did write that she bolted out the door, so it's all good, right?)

And just a quick question (sorry for all of these requests, lol). My real life friend reads my story and ever since he read the author's note about Hilda's name, he bet me that if I changed Hilda's name to "Touko" and put romance as a genre, tons of more people would be reading this fanfiction. I'm completely indifferent to how many people read the fic, but I'm curious to see if it would actually work or not. My friend wants to make an account (he doesn't have one) and repost my story except with Hilda's name as "Touko" and somehow hinting at romance in the description. If he did this, could he potentially get in trouble?

By the way, if you guys want to see how the card that Hilda ripped apart to form a "P" was formed, look below (under all of the review responses). Under that will be slight(?) spoilers.

KawaiiJoltic : What is this "everything" you speak of? I haven't done you any favors. You're the one who has been reviewing this whole time. And trust me, I'm really not that good at writing; it shouldn't be too hard to surpass me. And wow, never thought of it like that ( your comment about the forest and hidden grottos). I don't support ferriswheelshipping, but I'm not against it either, if you know what I mean. I actually want to take the challenge of writing a semi-love story. Since romance isn't a genre I normally take into, it should be interesting for me to attempt it (though I do hope it doesn't ruin the fic). The only reason I was so against including it initially was I noticed that every fanfiction with Hilda and N as the main characters is a romance fanfiction of some sort (or at least from what I've seen). And quit the "thank you's!" Thank _you_.

Roy's Little Girl : Thanks for the input. As you've noticed, I'm not a fan of my own work, so hearing your opinion is like a pat on the back. I hope this chapter was up to your expectations. I thought last chapter was filler (even though you think otherwise), but I feel like this chapter was super filler O.o Thanks for reviewing as always.

XrosaryX : If writing a review is a hassle you don't have to do it, so thanks for taking the time to review. Actually, in chapter 2 (or 3? I think 2) Hilda went over to Bianca's house and had a talk with Bianca's mom. Bianca's dad didn't show up, but he's there. And yeah, I didn't want to rush it, especially since this isn't mainly romance. Hopefully this chapter fit your expectations (though I doubt it), and as always, thanks for reading and reviewing.

Remepie : Come on, stop it. It's really not that good, but thanks nonetheless. Yeah, it would be pretty awkward if they only met once and they were suddenly in each other's arms. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

* * *

Hilda's ripped up note :

* * *

First let me explain that Cedric didn't write immediately on the corner, so I'll try and recreate the border (but I don't know how it will turn out). Parts of the message that are cut off will be italicized, while parts that remained will be, um... regular. Equal signs will suffice as empty space. I couldn't exactly get the "edges" straight, but I think you can make up a general idea. Also, I actually wrote this in person and tried it, so everything isn't aligned just due to handwriting. Still, a general idea.

|============================================================|  
|=====_Hilda; I still haven't_ perfected _those "vitamins." Perhaps you can assist me_====|  
|=====_the next time that I_ see you. I _would give you my failed experiments, but those=_|  
|=====_are with me to fix _my past _mistakes. As a professor and a scientist, I_ ========|  
|=====know that in order to advance in my results, I mustn't just learn==========|  
|=====from my mistakes, but keep them around to revel in my improvement.======|  
|=====That's aside the point though. I've noticed that you've never addressed me==|  
|=====by my name. Is it because my daughter and I harbor the same last========|  
|=====name? The next time you see me, I expect you to call me===============|  
|=====by my first name, Cedric======================================|  
|============================================================|

**_Slight spoilers ahead :_**

Now, imagine you're a high ranking sage and find this on the floor. If you were able to pick it up, Cedric wasn't punished for no reason; he just escaped from his confinement in the lab. You see this supposed criminal's name on this sheet of paper that was ripped to look like a "P" sitting under the door of a gym. The words that you can make seem a little scummy, well, prior to his banter. Would you think that the escaped criminal was in touch with the gym leader? That was the reasoning for Bronius' paranoia.


	16. Gilded City of Steel

**Chapter 16 : Gilded City of Steel **

* * *

Cold. I felt terribly cold.

I saw a fire not too far away... Was it a fire? It was glowing like a fire. I felt myself ascend to the object, but I felt no warmer.

Cold. Colder. I feel like I'm floating in ice.

I opened my eyes and saw nothing. My vision was blue, with a few colorful swirls here and there. _'What the...'_

"Vaum..." a muffled voice cried.

My confusion knocked me out of my groggy state as I tried to sit up. I bumped my head. "Ow..." I brought my hand up to rub it, but my hand was stopped by an invisible force. And it was cold. I grit my teeth in annoyance. _'What the heck..?'_

"Vamiww!"

I shot my head up in surprise, only to hit it again. "Ow!" I scowled. _'Is this some sort of force field or something?' _I frowned at how absurd my deduction was as I punch the dead air before me.

An ear-shattering crack filled my ears as my vision broke before my eyes.

"Wh-What the..?" I was wide eyed and my vision became abstract. I tried to sit up, only to have blue chunks slide off of my face and onto my now cold lap. _'Huh..?'_

My vision was now back to normal. I looked around me and saw that I had been encased in ice. Now, shattered pieces surrounded me.

I brought a shard up to my face, only to gasp when it disintegrated into sparkles that dissolved in the air. I hurriedly looked around me, confused, as I watched the rest of the ice shimmer into oblivion.

"Vanillish!"

I shot my head in the direction of the voice.

Levitating by my bedside was a Vanillish. He was smiling and seemed ecstatic to see me.

I smiled back. "Vanillite..?" I asked, just to make sure.

Vanillish nodded happily as he squealed yet again, happy to see me.

I brought up a hand to pat him on the hand, my eye wincing a bit upon the cold touch. "Hey, you evolved! Good for you!" I was too happy to harangue him about encasing me in ice.

"Vanillish, van!" Vanillish was basking in the attention I gave him.

"Good to see you too," I commented. Then it occurred to me. _'If Vanillite is here, then N has to be around...' _I retracted my hand from Vanillish. "Hey, where's N?"

Vanillish pouted and then floated down the stairs.

_'... What's up?'_ I wondered as I stood up from bed and stretched. I descended the stairs and saw Vanillish circling my couch. "Hey, what ar-"

Vanillish sent me a glare and vigorously shook his head.

I cocked my head in confusion. _'Did I do something?'_

Vanillish looked down at the couch then back at me.

I took that as a hint to come over, so I did so. I looked down at where Vanillish was looking.

There was N, sleeping on my couch. He was sitting upright. His arms were crossed while his head was hung down. He looked like he has been there for a while.

I looked at him, raising an eyebrow. _'What time is it?'_ I wondered. I looked at Vanillish. "Hey, how long have you guys been here?" I asked in a whisper.

A look of boredom surfaced on Vanillish's face, indicating that they've been here for a while.

"Oh, haha... My bad," I apologized. _'Did I keep them waiting for long?'_ I looked down at N's sleeping form again. _'He looks so... Serene,'_ I thought with an amused grin. _'It's amazing how this guy got Zekrom and conquered a building all on his own.' _

Then all of the events of Castelia City rushed through my head. Reuniting with my mother, the destitute looks of the pokemon living there, the greed of the sewers, the rampaging streets, my deafening ears, and Burgh's destroyed gym. Out of all the events, it was my mother that I had chosen to think about. With Team Plasma now holding control over the city, did they really need my mom and Cheren's parents in there to stop people from snooping around in their headquarters? If so, where were they now? Had they taken Patrat away from my mother?

I wasn't in the best mood. In fact, with every place that Team Plasma took over, I felt more and more guilty. It was starting to distract me from my main goal; to actually run them out of Unova.

I brought myself back to reality and found myself still staring at N. _'H__e really feels comfortable sleeping around me?'_ I wondered. _'Well, why wouldn't he? With my grunt pokemon, what's the most I could do?'_

Vanillish gave some kind of whimpering sound. When I looked back up at him, I saw that he was feigning some kind of depressed state.

_'He must be bored,'_ I deducted. _'I know I'd be.'_ Keeping my voice at a low, I asked, "Wanna do something?"

Vanillish's face lit up as he vigorously nodded "yes." He then flew back up and to the stairs, going back to my room.

I raised an eyebrow at his odd behavior, but found myself grinning. I followed him up the stairs, only to see him trying to lift up my blanket. "Hey, uh, what'cha doing there, buddy?" I asked as I walked over to him.

Vanillish stopped fidgeting with my blanket and dropped it. He turned to face me and pouted. "Vanillish, van!"

"Want some help?"

"Van!" Vanillite nodded his head vigorously. He jerked his head towards the ceiling, signaling what he wanted me to do.

"Um..." I was hesitant to ask, "Do you want me to put it over you?"

"Van!" Vanillish grinned, sufficing as a "yes."

I threw the blanket over Vanillish's head and it draped itself over him. "Like that?"

"Vanillish!" From what I could tell, he was nodding.

"So, um... What do you plan to do with that?" I asked, confused.

Vanillish ignored me and instead started to float away. Before I could question further, he bumped into a wall, squeaking in surprise.

I grinned in amusement. Quite frankly, I didn't know what else to say. I couldn't speak to him and any body language was masqueraded by my blanket, so I decided to just follow him around. I could no longer suppress any laughter as he continued to bump into various objects and walls in my room. In between giggles, I finally asked, "What are you planning to do?"

Almost as if a switch was hit, Vanillish found his way to the stairs and started floating down at a slower pace.

I instinctively walked slower and tried not to make noise. "Hey, so-"

From what I could tell, he turned around and hissed "van!"

I blinked. _'What's he up to?'_

He seemed to turn around again and continue descending. When I followed in suit, he whipped around and hissed another "van!"

I stared at the Vanillish draped in bed-sheets before me with a blank look. "So do I-"

"Vanillish!" he hissed lowly.

I pursed my lips in confusion. _'Did I do anything..?'_ I opened my mouth to speak again, this time keeping my tone at a whisper. "Do I stay here..?"

From what I could tell, Vanillish nodded.

I inwardly sighed. _'If only I could speak to pokemon...'_ Seeing that I could no longer advance, I took a seat on the step I was standing on and looked down at Vanillish trying to find his way around my home._ 'What's this guy doing..?'_ I thought with an amused smirk.

Eventually, Vanillish floated his way to in front of N. I could only watch curiously as he twirled around in place for a few seconds. Before I could voice my confusion, Vanillish screeched a blood-curdling scream that was loud enough to be deafening.

I winced as the noise pierced my ears, my eyes wide as I had been caught off-guard. _'What..? What the heck?!'_

At the same time, I saw N's head jolt up in surprise. I saw his arm shakily extend and reach for the blanket and pull it down, revealing Vanillish with a ridiculously wide grin.

"Vanillish!" Vanillish snapped with an inkling of annoyance.

"A good enough reaction..?" asked a drowsy N. "What do you mean?"

"Van, vanillish!"

"..." N seemed to be thinking about something. "Are people usually fun in their sleep..?"

I raised an eyebrow. _'What are they talking about?'_

Vanillish huffed and looked away.

"If I scream this time, will you still be angry?" asked N, still sounding a bit tired and somewhat worried.

I cocked my head in confusion but found a smile twitching at the corner of my lip. _'Ah, so he was trying to scare N awake.'_

"Van!" Vanillish retorted.

"What did I ruin?" asked N, clearly befuddled. If only I could see his face distraught face.

Vanillish turned back around with a smile on his face. "Vanillish!" He jerked his head to the stairs.

I paled. _'Me..?' _I could only hope N knew I didn't have anything to do with this. Lately, Cheren and Bianca's fates have been hanging on a thread. A really thin thread.

N stood up and turned around, his gaze following Vanillish's until it found its way on me. His face splayed drowsiness. I suppose he was out late releasing pokemon back into Pinwheel Forest. "Did Vanillish wake you?"

I nodded. "It's alright... I had to get up eventually," I said, followed by a yawn. I didn't realize just how tired I was until now. Perhaps the excitement in seeing Vanillite distracted me from my lethargy, but seeing N's own lethargic state, it came back. "Did I, um, keep you waiting long?"

N shook his head. "Not that I think... As soon as I came in, I collapsed on your couch. I'm sorry for that."

I shook my head. "It's not a problem." I started descending the stairs. _'Why is it that every time we see each other, it's just one awkward conversation after the next?'_

"You seem tired," N pointed out. "You walked home yesterday, right?"

I nodded. "Yup," I replied. '_Was there any other way?'_

N dug through his pocket. "It's the only one I have, so I'll need it back after you're done," he claimed, holding out a disk.

I curiously walked up to N and looked at the item in his hands. "The HM for fly?" I examined. _'Oh, I see...'_

"Well, I recall you having a Zubat now..." N recalled, a hint of bitterness hidden in his eyes. "You'll still have to introduce him to other towns, but I assumed that you could put it to use."

I nodded. "Yeah, this'll help a lot, actually," I admitted. I'd never tell him how, but he was free to believe what he wanted. _'Now travel won't have to be such a drag in between gyms.'_

"Yes, I don't think Zubat has the strength to carry you," N mused, "therefore he'd need an attack to gain the strength to get you to your destinations."

_'It makes sense,' _I reasoned. _'Plus, it's not like I even have the HM. Bianca gave it to me some time ago, but I threw it out because Swanna couldn't learn the move.'_ Because of that, I rendered it useless. Suddenly, a realization came to me. _'How the heck does fly even work?'_

"Is something wrong?" N seemed to sense my plight.

I sheepishly scratched the back of my head. "I know how to teach it to Zubat, but the thing is... I've actually never used fly before," I admitted, somewhat embarrassed.

"Oh." N glanced to the side. "So you just rode your flying-type pokemon?" he inquired.

I shook my head. "Nah... My flying-type couldn't handle heavy things," I explained sheepishly.

N looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I had a Swanna, but for some reason, she couldn't handle a lot of weight," I explained. "Even when I tried to teach her fly, she couldn't muster up the strength to carry me, so I kinda just threw away the HM," I continued, feeling just a bit doltish.

"Why did you catch Swanna?" inquired N.

"To get a pokemon that can learn fly."

"So when she couldn't learn it, why didn't you catch another pokemon?" asked N. "That's usually what trainers do."

I nodded. "Yeah, it is... But then what would have been the point of catching Swanna in the first place if there was a chance I'd just let her go?" I wondered to myself. "Plus, by the time I acquired Swanna, we had already been friends for a while. I wasn't just going to abandon a friend for her faults. Even I have my own faults. The truth is that we can both overcome our faults and-" I suddenly stopped talking when I realized that I was getting off topic. "Oh, um... Sorry, I was rambling on."

N blinked. I think I overwhelmed him with my venting. Changing the topic, he suggested, "Then I'll teach you how the move works."

I sheepishly scratched the back of my head and flashed him a sorry smile. "Yeah, I guess so then," I replied. _'Hope he doesn't see right through me...'_

* * *

N and I had walked out to a secluded part of Route 1 with Vanillish following us. We got a few odd looks from non-Team Plasmas, but none of us paid heed to it.

"I myself don't use the move fly to get places," N claimed. "I usually just ride on Zekrom's back. It may take longer that way, but with a pokemon's cap on four moves, I don't want to waste their 'slots.'"

I nodded in understanding. _'Yeah... Most HM's can be a hassle to know during battles.'_

N took out a pokeball from his pocket. "Archeops!" N threw his pokeball in the air, resulting in a red light and his Archeops to come out.

_'Right... It evolved back in Castelia City,'_ I recalled.

N petted Archeops' head before setting down the HM on the floor. He then took a few paces back. "Archeops, use pluck on the HM!"

Archeops cawed in response and dived down on the HM. A few pebbles materialized upon contact but quickly dispersed once they were airborne. Archeops glowed white for a second or two before the light died down and Archeops straightened his posture.

Throughout this whole exchange, I heard Vanillish sighing in awe behind me.

N smiled, something which I didn't see often. "Good job," he rewarded. "Now, try using the move on..." N glanced around until his eyes found their way to a stray log. "There."

Archeops nodded and then took off into the air. He did a trick in the air before swooping back down by the ground and gliding above it until he glowed white with visible wind being blown behind him from the power of his attack. He collided with the log, which seemed to explode upon contact. Archeops slowed down and then perched himself on a nearby branch, looking at N for approval.

"Good," rewarded N. "Now come here." He held out an arm, which Archeops perched himself on.

When I looked closer, I saw that Archeops wasn't putting his weight on N's arm. which was probably how he was able to stay in that position. When I examined both of their sizes, Archeops was only a foot or two shorter than N, who was actually the same height as I was.

"Now try to use fly again, except this time, not as if you were in battle," N told him.

Archeops cawed something, cocking his head in confusion.

"No, you did it right," N replied. "I was just testing the move."

Acheops nodded in some form of understanding. He flared his wings before he jumped off of N's arm and onto the ground in front of him. He craned his neck towards N, gesturing for him to get on.

"Not me." N looked at me. "Due to his size, Zubat will have to carry you differently, but I believe you should at least be familiar with the move first." N held a hand towards Archeops. "Get on his back."

I paled. "M-Me?" Obviously, N meant me. I gulped and stretched out the collar of my shirt. "Right... Me..." I narrowed my eyes in reluctance as I glanced away.

"Archeops is safe," N claimed. He rose his eyebrows, confused at my stuttering.

"Oh yeah, I, believe that," I assured him. "I've just... Never been airborne before," I admitted. _'That, a__nd I'm scared of open flight..!' _It was probably the only thing I was scared of; probably because I never had to deal with it. _'Until now...'_

"I see..." N murmured to himself. He turned to Archeops. "What do you think?"

Instead of Archeops answering, Vanillish chimed something from behind me.

N turned his head to Vanillish. "Do you think so?"

"Van!" I could only assume Vanillish was nodding. "Vanillish!"

"I see..." N mused. He then turned to Archeops. "Can you handle that?"

Archeops nodded. He craned his neck, gesturing N to come on.

N climbed onto Archeops' back and looked back at me. "Would you feel more assured if I showed you how the move worked first?"

I swallowed hard and nodded. _'Maybe that'll stall some time...' _Though I couldn't help but wonder why N was taking the time to assist me.

N readjusted his position before grasping some of Archeops' feathers. "Does this hurt?" he asked. When Archeops shook his head N followed up by commanding, "Use fly, but just in a circle"

Archeops nodded and took off into the air. He and N gracefully encircled the air around us.

"Hey... That doesn't seem so bad," I reluctantly admitted. I was enraptured.

"Vanillish," commented Vanillish.

Suddenly, Archeops started glowing. He sharpened his posture, and within a second, he and N were flying at light speed. Their figures became but a blur.

My eyes widened and my mouth dropped agape. I paled, and I would've gulped if I could have. "That's how fly works?!" I screeched with ire. "I'll fall off!"

Vanillish floated next to me, and from the corner of my eye, I thought I saw him glancing at me with a concerned look. "Vanillish..." he tried to comfort me.

My mouth twitched into a distorted smile. "Eheheheh..." I gave an awkward laugh and tugged at the collar of my shirt. "No, no... I can handle it..." I cringed at how out of character I was acting. Then I scowled. _'If I was planning on using Swanna's brave bird as a form of flying, I'll have to get used to this...'_ I realized. _'__This can prepare me, at the very least...'_

Archeops came to a sudden halt. I was surprised when N didn't jerk forward from the abrupt stop. Archeops flared his wings and gracefully flew back down to the ground with an equally graceful landing.

"Vanillish," Vanillish spoke up. "Van!"

N nodded at Vanillish and then hopped off of Archeops. He then turned to me. "If your concern was falling off, I can assure you that it's safe."

"Yeah..." I replied, keeping my tone leveled.

"Vanillish!" Vanillish interrupted.

N turned to Vanillish. "Are you sure?"

Vanillish nodded reassuringly.

I raised an eyebrow at their conversation; I didn't know what they've been saying to each other this whole time. _'Seriously, where did he get that ability? I want it.' _I cleared my throat. "I just, ah, get on his back?" I asked unsurely.

"Vanillish suggested that if I was on Archeops' back with you, you'd feel more comfortable," claimed N. "Would that assist in any way?"

I stared at N in disbelief. _'At the same time?! Doesn't that make less space on his back?!'_ I then turned to Vanillite, who was giving me a sly smile. '_Hey! What's that look supposed to mean?!'_

"Are you okay?" N asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Um, I wouldn't want to burden you with that, my King," I countered, using that as an excuse to not go on at the same time. _'If we did go on at the same time, I'd probably shove N off in mid-air!' _I felt like there was also another point I was missing to this, but with my mind trying to come up with excuses, I didn't feel like trying to think of one.

N looked confused at my choice of words. "I was wondering... Why do you always call me by that?"

The question caught me off-guard; it wasn't exactly something that stuck as off-putting to me, but I wasn't expecting him to bring it up. Plus, I knew that the endless number of Team Plasma grunts and the seven sages referred to him as that, or "lord." Taking a shot in the dark, I asked, "Would you prefer 'My Lord N?'"

My choice of words seemed to confuse N further. "Titles aren't necessary," he finally said.

_'HA. No!'_ I countered in my head. _'If the seven sages knew I wasn't referring to you by your title, they'd have me beheaded!' _Since I couldn't say that out loud, I simply nodded. _'__I'll just have to never use his name then. He never uses mine, anyway.' _Deciding to switch the topic, I asked, "So I just sit on him and he does the work?"

N didn't look pleased by my choice of words but he nodded and gestured to Archeops, who was patiently waiting for me. "I'll be right behind you."

"Really, that isn't necessary," I urged. I found that it would be awkward for my self-dubbed nemesis to act as a safety measure.

N nodded and stepped back.

"Vanillish?" inquired Vanillish as I started walking towards Archeops. "Vanillish! Van!"

"I think she'll be fine," replied N.

"Van..."

"Hm..." N wondered something to himself. "Are you sure that it's necessary?" he asked, unconvinced.

"Is what necessary?" I asked, looking back at the two.

They both ignored me. Vanillish nodded to N.

I was starting to get a little wary. I took a step back from Archeops. _'They're not planning to fly me up and send me plummeting down to my death, are they?'_ I thought, paranoid. I obviously knew that they weren't going to do that, but still.

N walked up to me. "I guarantee that you won't fall." He then turned to Archeops and nodded.

"Right..." I muttered, unconvinced. Swallowing my fears, I climbed onto Archeops' back. I sat there for a second as Archeops adjusted himself to my position. He flared his wings, waiting for my command to take flight. Suddenly, I remembered how N and Archeops were flying at light speed. I imagined hurdling down back to the earth at that rate. I sighed at my doltish thoughts. "You know what, I can walk everywhere, I don't m-"

In a split second, I felt a presence behind me, followed by a stern "now."

Before I could even react, Archeops took off in the air.

"Crud..!" I muttered to myself, staring at the ground below me with wide eyes. Planes, I was fine with. Those were closed in. But _this _I could fall off of. Without even thinking, I hastily clutched whatever I could, resulting in a squawk from Archeops. I reflexively let go, murmuring a "sorry."

Archeops didn't seem to care, as he didn't reply. Instead, we flew in a circle at a pretty decent pace. The wind was rushing through my face, and at first, I saw it as a threat trying to push me off this pokemon. However, after a few seconds, it actually felt liberating.

"Okay..." I sighed with a shy smile. "This isn't _too _bad," I admitted, but was still anticipating the moment where Archeops would shake me off of his back. I looked down again and swore I saw Vanillish smirking up at me. '_Hey... Where's N? He isn't down there...' _My eyes narrowed when I realized where he may be.

"See? You didn't fall off."

"Oh, shoot!" I shrilled as I hugged Archeops' neck for dear life. I looked behind me, only to see N looking at me quizzically. _'What the heck?! When did he get on?!'_ Realizing that I was probably choking Archeops, I let go of his neck, only for the wind resistance to push me back into N.

N gulped in surprise as his one free arm instinctively caught me. I could hear, feel even, his heartbeat accelerate in the surprise. The fact that I practically fell on him while we were up here was horrifying to me.

I groused to myself in frustration as I readjusted myself and sat up from being pushed into N, grabbing onto Archeops' neck again though this time not in a death grip. "Sorry... I didn't know you were there," I apologized timidly and looked forward to avoid eye contact. _'I almost knocked him off! I would've killed him!'_

"I don't think something dire like that would've happened..."

"Oh shoot! I said that out loud!"

"Are you afraid of heights?" N asked, his voice completely nonchalant.

I was bewildered at how he was so calm in this moment. We were at least a mile up in the air. Without taking my glance away from the ground, I replied with a stern "no."

"Then why are you so tense?"

"It's not exactly the height that scares me, it's the safety," I explained. "An airplane is closed in, but flying free like this has open space all around me. To fall to my death."

"I see..." he replied. "It's a feasible reason."

My tone showed no fear whatsoever, and while I truly wasn't fearful, I was anxious and cautious. I wouldn't let my face show it though, but I feared that Vanillish told N of my outbursts earlier.

"You should hold on," N suggested.

"Why..?" I asked suspiciously.

"He hasn't even used fly yet."

_'WHAT?!'_ I stared at Archeops' head before me in objection. "I see..." I exhaled, trying to calm my self down. "But still... Why _are _you up here?" I asked, trying to get my mind off of the lack of safety equipment; I was on a pokemon, so it wasn't like I was expecting a seat belt or anything anyway. It was then that I realized that N and I were close. Awfully close. _'Man, this is awkward.'_ I thought, frowning. I paled when I realized that I might have said that out loud, but relaxed when N nor Archeops seemed to hear it.

"Vanillite told me that you might not trust Archeops to indulge in flight," explained N. "He said that if I was behind you, you wouldn't be able to get off before we ascended."

I stared down at Vanillite's form in ruefulness, and I could have sworn that I saw him smirking up at me in triumph. _'That little..!'_ I thought about it and concluded that perhaps I needed the push. _'And now that I think about it, this isn't so bad. It's actually kinda... Nice?'_ I smiled, taking in the sights of an overhead Route 1. With all the flower petals and swaying grass, everything looked serene. "It's not bad up here," I admitted.

"Alright." N sounded convinced. "Archeops-"

_'Oh crud.'_

"-use fly."

Before I could stop him, Archeops sharpened his posture and started flying at the speed of a bullet. My face felt hard and I still felt extremely cautious. I leaned down and took a hold on Archeops, my eyes squinting from the strong wind. When I looked down, everything looked like a green blur as we kept flying in endless circles. My skin felt like it was going to rip off of my face, but at the same time, it didn't hurt. I actually... Kinda liked it? It would be exhilarating if there wasn't a possibility of me falling off.

I looked behind me and was baffled to see N not holding on to anything. He seemed completely indifferent to the whole thing.

I snapped by head back straight, not wanting to distract myself. Although I seriously doubted it by now, I could still fall off at any moment. I just had to wait it out.

After a few more seconds, Archeops finally slowed down, causing me to sigh in relief. He gracefully landed back on the ground and I felt N jump down.

I hesitated before getting off, almost as if fearing we were still in the sky. When my eyes laid themselves on Vanillish, I couldn't help but give him a glare that said, "I'm going to kill you," but this only seemed to amuse him.

Archeops cawed as he ruffled his feathers before sitting on the ground, clearly exhausted from having to carry two people instead of one.

I couldn't help it; I turned to Vanillite and gave him a look of both desperation and pure rage. "Why?!"

Vanillite smirked in triumph and turned away before laughing hysterically.

I frowned. _'Cheeky little...' _However, I soon found myself grinning. '_He reminds me of me...'_ I frowned again. _'Is that a good thing or a bad thing?' _I turned back to N to see him crouching down by Archeops, rewarding him for his efforts by petting him. _'Are we done now then?'_ I wondered. '_I hope we are... That was really dang awkward.'_

To confirm my hopes, N took a pokeball from out of his pocket. "Archeops, return!" And with that, Archeops dissolved into a red light which retracted back to the pokeball N was holding up. N pocketed the pokeball and stood back up.

"Vanillish, van!" Vanillish bragged as he floated back to N.

"Yes, you were right."

I raised an eyebrow at their exchange but decided not to voice my confusion and just let them go about their conversation. _'I guess I have to teach Zubat now, don't I?' _I felt around my side for my utility belt, only to realize that I wasn't wearing my uniform. I looked down at my waist, almost as if I was expecting to see my Team Plasma pokemon there. I grimaced when I realized that I didn't even bring my bag. _'Great, I forgot.' _I scratched the back of my head. "Um, I forgot Zubat at home... I'll just go get him then."

N turned away from his conversation with Vanillish and nodded.

With that, I sprinted away. _'I hope he doesn't give me some lecture about how it's irresponsible to forget about pokemon...'_

* * *

When I got home, I was surprised to see Bronius and his two groupies frantically wandering about my living room.

With a scowl, I wondered, _'What are they doing here?'_

Before I could voice my inquiry, the male grunt noticed me. "She's here!" His voice was accusing.

_'Oh man... They didn't find my pokemon, did they?!'_ I backed up to my front door again, preparing to make a run if needed. I smirked, thinking about the face that Bronius would make when his prey got away. _'If only I had a camera with me to savor the moment...'_

"Lady Hilda!" the female grunt cried.

I frowned. It was evident from my title that I wasn't in any trouble whatsoever. _'Nope. No fun today.'_

"It's tragic!" she claimed. "Our Lord N is missing!"

I put on a blank look. '_No he isn't...'_

"Where have you been?!" Bronius asked, enraged. I also saw an inkling of nervousness.

_'Am I supposed to be on house arrest?' _I wondered. _'But what's got Bronius worked up?'_

"You are to find him!" commanded a distraught and demanding Bronius. "If you don-"

"Found him."

The three gave me horrified looks, Bronius' demanding me to explain.

"He's at Route 1," I claimed with a deadpanned voice.

"How do you know?!" Bronius demanded, clearly irked that I finished my work without even trying.

"I was with him," I claimed with a shrug. "If he's needed for something, I can go get him," I offered. _'And then maybe he could leave and I can get some training in...'_

The two team plasma grunts looked at each other.

Bronius looked at my ceiling, almost as if he was thinking about something. He turned back to me with an expression of ire. "Lord Ghetsis will hear about this!"

"..." Was that supposed to suffice as a threat? _'I don't see what I should be afraid of... I didn't do anything.'_ I simply blinked and answered, "Okay."

Bronius brushed past me in a frustrated fashion and stormed out the door.

_'Hey fool, you left your groupies behind,' _I thought with a smirk.

Almost as if my thoughts were heard, the two grunts behind me hurriedly followed him, but not before bowing to me at the doorway.

I cocked my head in confusion. _'What was that all about..?' _Bronius was nervous, but I felt like it was because of a different reason. Deciding to ignore the matter, I ran upstairs to grab my bag and my Team Plasma pokemon.

* * *

By the time I got back to Route 1, N had returned Vanillish to his pokeball. He had been patiently awaiting my return, and from the looks of it, Bronius didn't pay him a visit.

_'What is it about my house that attracts everybody?'_ I wondered as I approached N. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, m-" I stopped myself short when I was about to habitually call him "my King."

N simply nodded. He looked like he had something on his mind.

_'Did Vanillish put him up to something again..?'_ I thought with a smirk. _'Ha. Just you wait Vanillish, I have no idea what game you're playing, but I'm a fighter!' _

N put down the HM on the ground again. He and I took some steps back as I took Zubat from out of my bag and released him from his pokeball.

_'Now... What move do I replace..?' _It then occurred to me that I didn't even know Zubat's moveset.

Zubat interrupted me from my thoughts as he flew up to me excitedly. He chattered some things as he flew in front of my face.

"Nice to see you too," I commented with a smile as I pet his head when he went still. "So what are your moves?"

"You don't know?" asked N. He seemed a bit irritated.

"Not all of them," I lied. _'The last thing I need is a lecture on how as his trainer I should know all of his moves.'_ I furrowed my brows at my thought. _'Wait a second...'_

Saving me from my thoughts, Zubat flew away. He shot out thin tube-looking things, which I identified as leech life, and he followed up with astonish, bite, and supersonic.

I easily decided that leech life was a move I would not use, and so I commanded Zubat to use leech life on the HM. The routine went by; Zubat used his move on the HM, he glowed white, and I tested to see if he knew it. The whole thing seemed just like a recycled chore.

Zubat seemed ecstatic to know his new move. However, by the way he performed it, I knew that Zubat was at a moderately low level. He wasn't as weak as Purrloin was, but compared to the rest of my Team Plasma pokemon, he had ways to go.

I couldn't help but smile at Zubat's glee. _'It's almost as if he's forgotten that he was abandoned...' _Then I realized something. "Um... I'm going to infer that I can't ride on Zubat's back..." I started off. "How do I use fly then?"

N nodded, confirming my suspicions. "He's going to have to lift you."

I raised a suspicious eyebrow. "How so?" I knew just what he meant, but I didn't want to acknowledge it.

"He's too small to grab you by your shoulders, so you'll have to make do with an article of clothing."

I grimaced. "Is that the _only_ way..?"

N nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. But you should know, a pokemon is at its strongest during an attack," he claimed. "It would be utterly shocking if he dropped you."

I felt my eye twitch, but only a little. "So I'll be hanging by my neck with nothing beneath me..."

Zubat flew in front of my face. While he didn't have a face, I could still tell he was somewhat offended.

"No, I trust you," I claimed with a smile to make him feel better. _'It's your tiny feet that I don't trust!'_

Zubat seemed to be somewhat happier, if only ephemerally. However, he was smart enough to sense that I was still wary.

I mentally cringed. _'He lifts one claw and I plummet to my death... I don't let him fly me, his self esteem gets damaged. I let him fly me, I might die. It's a lose/lose situation!'_

"Are you ready to test it?" N asked, interrupting me from my dilemma.

I weakly nodded my head. I fought the urge to ask him if he'd try it out first. _'Asking him would be idiotic...' _

Zubat chattered happily as he flew around me.

I gave a weak smile. _'Oh well... I wasn't lying when I said i trusted him. He'll catch me if I fall. I hope.' _I pet him on the head. "Ready when you are..." I felt my face tense up when I felt the back of my vest lift up a little. _'Maybe I shouldn't... N can't stop me this time!'_

However, unlike Archeops who initiated the move after he was airborne, Zubat started right away.

Everything was a blur before I even left the ground.

My vision was a slurring green and whatever color the flower petals were; I was too in shock to even tell what color it was. To say I could clearly make out anything was a lie. I was swinging side to side like a rag doll as Zubat and I flew at light speed. There was nothing to hold on to. I felt completely vulnerable. I could have sworn that every second, Zubat had let me go, but I found myself swaying viciously back into place.

Finally, I closed my eyes and tried to tune out everything; the chaotic scenery before me, the feeling that Zubat's grip was loosening on my vest, the wind whistling through my ears, and the strong force that threatened to open my eyes. This was such a surprise that I was numb and ignorant to everything that was going on.

After what seemed like an eternity, Zubat finally slowed down. This experience was a lot more worse than the one on Archeops, but I was in too much of a funk to "record" the details of it. What I wasn't expecting was to feel myself dropping at an alarming rate.

_'I'm imagining things?'_ I thought hopefully as I opened my eyes and looked down. _'No! I'm plummeting to my death!' _Not being a screamer, I hurriedly looked around me, almost as if I was expecting a ledge that I could grab to appear out of thin air. Finally, in a last-ditch effort I bawled, "Fly, fly, fly!"

Zubat complied as we started to fly at warp speed again. I was grateful that he didn't actually drop me, rather he just stopped his attack short. I closed my eyes in relief. Even though they were closed, I could still feel us descending back to the ground.

When I felt my feet hit the ground, I held myself back from kneeling down and kissing the dirt beneath my legs. Instead, I nonchalantly fixed my disheveled vest with shaky hands. _'Okay, okay... I almost fell to the ground... But looking back at it, flying like that was kinda fun,'_ I admitted. _'It felt fun, at least, but that's only because I lived through it.'_

"It looks like Zubat forgot to descend before ending the attack," N observed. I forgot that he was here. "But he did fix his mistake," he pointed out.

I nodded. "He did. I knew he would," I replied. It wasn't a lie either. I turned back to Zubat. "That was actually kinda fun. We should do it again sometime!" It wasn't a lie either. Falling felt like I was on a roller coaster, and being hung like some wet clothes only added to the fun. Now that I knew I was safe in Zubat's hands, or at least I wouldn't die, I was longing for more flying. _'Though I will admit, if I didn't get a test flight in with Archeops first, this would've been a lot more horrifying.'_

N was over with Zubat; they seemed to be having a conversation of some sort.

In the end, I decided that Zubat was safer than Archeops, even if it didn't feel like it. Zubat was holding on to me, while Archeops wasn't.

Zubat flew back up to me and started encircling my head. It was then that I realized Zubat didn't have any claws and was most likely holding me by his teeth; the thought made me chuckle.

I smiled at the carefree vibe he gave off._ 'Well that's two out of six of my new pokemon that don't hate me.' _Oddly enough, that felt like an accomplishment. I turned to N and smiled. "Thanks for the help." Even though he was the king of Team Plasma, he didn't seem like an enemy. I knew he was, and I would take him down in due time, but he did actually help me out without seeming bitter about it unlike the seven sages.

"You're welcome."

And then ensued the awkward silence.

"Um..." Yup, another one of these with N. "Zubat, return," I ordered as I held up his pokeball. _'What now? Do I walk away or something?'_

"The sages recommended that during my break, I should go to the amusement park in Nimbasa City tomorrow," N mentioned, breaking the awkward silence between us. "I see it as a waste of time... I'd like to assist in the inspections in Castelia City."

"But they're pretty adamant, aren't they?"

N nodded. "They told me that the best way to relieve stress was to enjoy myself in the amusement park, but I'm not the least bit stressed." N looked distraught. "However, this does seem like the opportune time to survey the city... After all, the gym is part of the amusement park."

I got a sick feeling in my stomach. _'Oh man, Elesa...'_ I had no doubt that she'd be the prime target in Nimbasa City, next to the subway bosses. Speaking of those two, I've only seen them that one time, so I don't know if they're a real threat or not. _'But why is N telling me this? Just to break the silence?'_

"However, the sages recommended that I have some of the lower ranked members to accompany me and watch over me from a distance," claimed N.

'_Oh... I see where this is going_._'_

"I don't want to be babysat," N claimed, annoyance well hidden in his tone. "Considering how well things went in Castelia City, would you like to accompany me?"

'_Not really,' _I thought honestly. _'This guy just wants me there as his scapegoat for his freedom.' _That wasn't what annoyed me; had the scenario been the other way around, I probably would've done the same thing. However, if Team Plasma's advances were really halted, I was missing out on some clandestine training sessions. I didn't want to explain my reason for denial, so I said, "Sure."

* * *

After another awkward silence, N and I parted ways; he said something about training in Pinwheel Forest.

I went home and switched out my pokemon; I was able to get some training in with my original team and improve Swanna's accuracy when lifting logs with brave bird and even raise a few levels with the others.

On my way back, I recalled how Cheren and Bianca found some shiny stones along the floor. When I was unable to find any, I kicked the floor in frustration, and that made a mini-crater. I knew that my kick was too sloppy to make such a fine crater, so when I knelt down to look, I saw a handful of evolutionary stones; one water, one fire, and one moon.

_'Conveniently the three that Cress, Chili, and Fennel need...'_ I observed. I found the discovery somewhat scummy, but who would plant evolutionary stones in the forest? Certainly not someone who could put the stones to use. I pocketed the stones, wondering how such a convenience was possible.

Once I got home, I switched out my team once more; I decided that since the Team Plasma team weren't as strong as my regular team, they could train in Pinwheel Forest. I also wanted to see if I could sneak off to Nimbasa City and warn Elesa of Team Plasma and check up on Burgh and my mother if there was time.

I called out Zubat and watched him materialize. "Hey there, buddy," I greeted him. Then I smirked. "Wanna get some more flying in?"

Zubat chirped happily as he flew to my back. I felt the back of my vest lift up and soon I was in the air. Everything was but an orange blur with a few strokes of white here and there. The wind whistled around me as I opened my arms, embracing the rush. I felt like I myself was flying, excluding the feeling of my vest riding up.

_'This is the most fun I've had since... A while!' _I declared, belting a laugh. _'Seriously; this is more exhilarating than the roller coaster in Nimbasa.'_

It only took a mere twenty seconds to get to my destination. Soon, the orange sky turned into the bleak grey of Castelia City. Suddenly, I heard a faint noise; it sounded loud, but I was no where near it.

I was about to shrug it off until we got closer and the noise got louder. It was a plethora of noises, I realized, as we got even closer to Castelia City. The noise escalated from faint to deafening in a few moments. I cringed as a piercing cry filled my ears.

_'What's going on..?' _I wondered suspiciously as I brought down my arms, bracing myself for a possible rough landing.

As we got closer to the ground, aside from the noise getting louder, my vision got more colorful. I couldn't make out what it was that was on the ground due to the speed we were flying at, but as soon as I felt my feet hit the floor, I looked around.

My eyes narrowed; I couldn't believe what I saw. "Holy..!" I muttered to myself. I couldn't even hear myself speak over the shouting and crashing noises of pokemon attacks.

Although the streets weren't as packed as yesterday, there was still an awful lot of people. No one outnumbered anyone; half of the trainers seemed to be Team Plasma grunts while the others seemed to be just regular trainers. I noted that most of them seemed to be adults and not one of them was a businessman.

Pokemon were scattered all around. Any step I took would be in a battlefield, and by doing that, I'd put myself in danger of being put in front of a pokemon attack.

"Zubat, return..." I murmured when I felt him hide behind my head. I held up his pokeball and didn't even bother to watch him disappear. _'I'm going to go deaf... I can barely even hear myself think..!'_

No one cared for my presence though; everyone was too concentrated on battling. An endless sea of pokemon and trainers.

I instinctively stepped back in surprise when I saw some things from the corner of my eye coming bolting my direction. I was relieved yet extremely confused when I saw some trainers fly in on bird pokemon and run into the crowd. The very next second, I felt a giant force shove me from my back. When I turned around, I saw endless grunts flying out of the Pokemon Center and into the battlegrounds, picking a fight with more trainers.

I felt sick. The piercing noise of all the screaming and pokemon attacks, my colorful vision filled with grunts, pokemon, and a plethora of attacks, and the realization that came to me next.

Castelia City was at war.

* * *

**Gilded City of Steel : End**

* * *

I'm _really _sorry guys. I've been busy, I've had writer's block, and my dang Fanfiction page keeps reloading before I could save my progress. But that's not really an excuse, is it? I made you guys wait about a week for this update. Sorry. I'll also be busy until Sunday, so I don't know if the next update will be hindered or not. I'm really sorry. Sorry that the chapter's short too. (Gosh, how many times am I going to say "sorry?" I apologize for the repetitiveness)

I know I say this practically every chapter, but I think this is the worst one yet. It was rushed, and it shows, but it does have purpose. Do you guys think I need to re-write this? If you think so, I will, no questions asked.

Give me tips on loud environments, _please_. The flying scenes were pathetic, and so was Castelia City. It sounds so... Bland? Recycled? Meh.

Oh God, the N/Hilda flying scene and the "war" in Castelia City... It feels so forced? Cheesy? Man, this fic is killing me.

By the way, if any of you were actually interested, my friend and I fulfilled that "bet" I was talking about. He uploaded chapter 1 and about thirteen hours later, he uploaded chapter 2. An hour later, he deleted it (so it was up for about 14 hours). In the end, he got less views than I did, LOL. He also told me he got 0 follows/favorites, and 2 reviews, but he deleted the story before I could read them. I guess no one actually cares about her name, lol.

And that poll is still going on : Who do you consider to be the main protagonist of Black and White 2? Rosa or Nate? Rosa is winning unanimously! (By the way, that's 2)

KawaiiJoltic : Quit flattering me O.e I know it's not true. And you noticed that..? Oh well, it was extremely obvious XD But I never noticed Burgh had Anorith/Armaldo and Cilan had Lileep/Cradily. Probably because I never play Unova Leaders. I also assumed that about grunts in evil organizations, save for the admins (or sages) of course. And seriously, quit it. You really have _nothing _to thank for. And thanks for the advice on the "experiment."

Jestie Uchiha : You _loved _it? Are you sure you aren't exaggerating a bit? Apparently I didn't get more views, but oh well. I'm content as long as I get any number of readers. Admittedly, I loathed the name Hilda until I saw it so often (because I always name my characters by their official names) and then it started to grow on me. Sorry if I didn't update soon enough. And thanks for the advice. According to him, no one accused him of stealing, so it's all good.


	17. Filling in the Gaps

**Chapter 17 : Filling in the Gaps**

* * *

Castelia City was at war.

I could only watch in immense bewilderment as more and more trainers came flying in and shoving me from my spot. I felt my face go beet red with anger as more endless grunts screamed their way from out of the Pokemon Center and charged right to the trainers that landed, shoving me in the process.

The yelling and battle cries and explosions were so loud that quite frankly, I couldn't even tell what I was hearing anymore. My mind felt like it was about to explode from all of the chaos as I continued to stare and listen about in disbelief. I was frozen in place, unable to even lift a finger. The crowds got thicker and thicker in mere seconds, and soon, I couldn't even spot pokemon that were under four feet.

I practically felt my face go ablaze from a nearby fire attack as I felt shoving from all of my sides. I clenched my fists in both anger and frustration.

_'A civil war... So much was expected, but...' _I looked down, spiteful towards myself for reasons I couldn't comprehend.

My field of vision started to crowd with more and more people, half of them clad in white knights' outfits. My vision became a blur of skin tones and I couldn't tell one person from the next. The people next to me ran past me with a bloodcurdling war cry, making me wince.

What was I supposed to do?

I could help all of these trainers; they were trying to defeat Team Plasma after all. Yet again, there were so many grunts around to witness my "betrayal," and I have yet to find out about Cheren and Bianca's whereabouts. My mother was also in that building...

My eyes widened as I went completely stiff. I fell to the ground with one small shove but I didn't even bother to prop myself up. My mother was residing in the heart of a civil war... _'Mom..!' _I was overcome with worry as I tried to use a shaky hand to hold myself up.

Instead, I felt myself being trampled on and I slammed back to the ground. Sharp pains pierced my backside, dulling my senses. Soon, which could span from seconds to minutes because I no longer had a sense of time, my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. I sneered throughout the whole ordeal and felt my mouth twitch a bit.

All of the screaming turned into a muffled mess and my vision turned to black. I felt an overpowering headache from the impact on the ground. I thought I was losing consciousness; whether it was from the worry of my mother or all of the trampling feet above me, I couldn't tell. My mouth drifted slightly agape from my overwhelming lethargy. All the footsteps started to feel lighter and lighter as I started to feel completely numb.

_'Can't these idiots... Tell that they're stepping over... A person..?'_

I wanted to beat up everything within my reach, but that would accomplish nothing. I scolded myself for sulking and with a giant shove, I thrust myself upwards, cutting off more people from trampling on me. I think I even felt myself shove some people to the ground, but I wasn't too sure.

A pulse of dizziness hit me and I swayed to the side, almost falling over again. I held up a hand to my forehead while the other one swayed lazily to my side as I tripped backwards, only barely catching myself as I stumbled a few steps. I think people were either trying to help me stand up or berating me for shoving them, but my voice of reason was dead.

My vision kept focusing and unfocusing. I narrowed my eyes, trying to focus my eyes, but to no avail. My vision fell sideways as my vision was but a plethora of colorful blurs. I clenched my teeth in frustration as I fought off the giant white blurs that kept shoving past me with one lazy arm while keeping my other hand over my head..

_'Just how bad... Did I hit my head..?'_ Even my thoughts were slowed and tired. They also sounded muffled, if that was possible. However, I had somewhere to go. I had to find the Team Plasma building and see if my mother way okay. I doubted that anything happened to her, considering that she probably didn't have any pokemon to fight with, but I still wasn't at rest. Had Team Plasma moved her? Is she a hostage? A sacrifice? Human shield? I was sure that half of my theories were absurd, but I still needed to find out.

I felt blind as I slackly shoved my way through the crowd. I thought I heard a few people gripe at me for shoving them out of the way, but I was still too groggy from the bump on my head to tell the difference. I occasionally felt a stabbing pain on my leg which I could only assume was from a pokemon attack that I intercepted.

I stumbled from side to side as I could barely make my way through the crowd with one arm pushing people aside and the other still on my forehead. I felt that the crowd wasn't as thick, but I didn't trust my vision to tell me who was where. I think at one point I stepped on a pokemon's tail, but when I turned around, I only saw the grey concrete. I could only hope that I was going the right way. I narrowed my eyes when I realized that I might be walking just the opposite way.

As more time passed over a span of probably five minutes, my senses started returning. I actually wished they hadn't. The loud noises of destruction and shouting only added to my pounding headache. My eyes were still focusing and unfocusing, but it was getting better; I was able to make out faces for more than a second before they started blurring again. I didn't feel the need to shove my way through anymore. I saw that no one paid heed to me even though I was probably an odd one out.

"Hilda..!" I heard a voice call out through all the noise. It seemed alarmed I was surprised that I could even make it out through all of the noise.

My eyes narrowed a bit. _'Who here would care to recognize me...?'_ I came to a halt, my left arm swaying from the abrupt stop. I felt myself fall forward a bit. _'I guess I haven't fully recovered...'_ I whipped around and tried to find a familiar face in the crowd. My eyes narrowed a little more when I was overwhelmed with a plethora of unfamiliar faces, not including the generic Team Plasma grunt or pokemon of course.

"Over here..!" the voice called out as I saw a peeping hand waving to me from a distance.

I raised an eyebrow in suspicion and looked both ways, almost as if it mattered. I then lazily charged through some battlefields and shoved my way past adamant trainers until I found myself in a semi-dark alley. I took a few cautious steps. _'No one's here...' _I fell back against a brick wall and exhaled, relieved to be out of that mess. For some reason, all of the noises from outside of the alleyway were somewhat stifled. The quieter atmosphere made my head feel just a bit better.

"Hilda!" It was a harsh whisper with a demanding tone.

I instinctively kicked myself off of the wall, bracing myself as I lashed my head around trying to find the source of the voice. I was treated with the sight of a familiar face. I felt a relieved smile grow. "E-Elesa!" I stuttered a bit due to my waning headache. I didn't realize that speaking would hurt, so I reflexively clutched a hand to my forehead and cringed.

Elesa abruptly brought a finger up to her mouth and instantly shushed me. Her face was completely serious. "What were you doing out there?" she snapped in a hushed tone. Her voice was filled with worry but her face said otherwise.

"Um..." Just by humming that, I got small pulses of lethargy that made me wince ever so slightly. I had to back up to the wall for support.

Elesa shook her head. "Never mind that... As long as we're both here, we have to keep each others' presences a secret."

"What do you mean..?" I asked, confused. I braced myself for another ping of lightheartedness, but nothing came. Feeling a bit more confident about speaking I added, "Are we not supposed to be here? If there was a hostile takeover of a major city, I would assume that it was a free-for-all."

Elesa gave a mute chuckle and flashed me a sly smile. "You came charging in here as soon as you heard that Castelia went under, didn't you?" she asked rhetorically. "That's so like you," she remarked with admiration in her eyes.

"Uh..." I gave her a look that urged her to explain.

"Assuming that you left before the message finished," Elesa started off, bracing herself for a long explanation, "we still don't know much. 'Team Plasma has subdued Castelia City.' That's all we've been told by the Pokemon League." Elesa glanced up at an angle with a thoughtful look on her face. "I suppose that's all you and your friend Cheren needed to hear to come down here." She smiled with an expression that was almost nostalgic.

I decided to play along; after all, if Team Plasma's conquest was supposedly known region-wide as of now, there was nothing to warn her about. Especially if I myself didn't know when we were striking Nimbasa, or how. "Was there anything after?" I pried.

"The Pokemon league demanded that us gym leaders don't come down here." Elesa admitted uncomfortably. She looked down the the side and bit her lip in frustration."Everyone here is a volunteer, trying to stop the malevolent hands of Team Plasma."

_'The Pokemon League ordered it..? Why..?' _Then I remembered that N had beaten them, and if he had done so, he had to beat the gym leaders and earn all of the badges. It was almost as if they were saying any attempts by the gym leaders were futile.

"Although the words didn't come from Alder himself, I'm certain that they're his," added Elesa with disgust in her eyes. She turned away to look back at the chaos outside of the alleyway. "I'd pay a fortune to get in that man's head."

"Have you considered that maybe he wants to keep you gym leaders to protect the towns and cities for when Team Plasma advances?" I asked, trying to look at it through a positive perspective. "I mean, if something happened to you guys _here_..."

"That was my first guess, but..." Elesa claimed, turning away from the opening of the alleyway. "Ignoring Team Plasma... That would be a terrible thing for us gym leaders to do."

I simply nodded, unsure of what else to say to that. "Um... Earlier you said we had to keep each others' presences a secret," I repeated, not willing to waste time. "I can see why I shouldn't tell about you, but why not me? What did you mean?"

"Ah, yes..." Elesa closed her eyes and smiled a sad smile. "The Pokemon League also demanded that young trainers, such as yourself, shouldn't come down here."

"Why?" I demanded, surprised at the notion. _'I'd think that the Pokemon League would want the most help possible with this...' _But now it did make sense why all of the non-Team Plasma trainers were adults.

Elesa shrugged. "To keep a sense of normalcy, apparently. I think they're trying to not worry young trainers just beginning their journeys." Elesa didn't seem like she agreed with the notion. "It's as if Alder is saying that Team Plasma isn't a threat, but..." Elesa took another glance at the chaos outside of the alley. "It's gotten too out of hand. They won't stop at Castelia City."

I followed her gaze, enchanting myself with the sights of fighting. I saw from a distance a non-Team Plasma trainer lose a battle and get his pokemon forcibly taken away from him. _'And to think that the wimps I beat up so easily are taking over Unova... And I work for them!'_

Elesa sighed. "I came down here to battle and help the cause, but you see, if I was seen by anyone and reported in, my gym licence could get revoked."

I cringed. _'Ouch... Alder, why are you being so harsh?'_

"But if you haven't noticed... More and more trainers are flying into Castelia City," Elesa added with an inkling of hope in her voice. "Soon, Team Plasma will be severely outnumbered and then they'll leave Castelia City." She looked to the side. "I just wish that there was more that I could do... You should get out of here, too."

"Why?" I asked. "Does anything happen to me if I'm spotted?"

Elesa nodded. "You could lose your right to challenge the Pokemon League."

"Wh-What?!" I asked, outraged. "Why?! Has Alder gone mad?!"

Elesa shrugged. "My thoughts exactly, but you must remember, Alder isn't the only one in the Pokemon League. The Elite Four has to have had something to do with this as well." She sighed again. "Really... I don't know what they're doing up there." She closed her eyes in deep thought.

_'Well, now it makes sense why she snapped at me earlier...'_ I reasoned. _'I should probably tell her the real reason why I'm in Castelia City.'_

"What do you say to assisting me?" inquired Elesa, still overlooking the pandemonium before us. "As soon as I find out who is leading Team Plasma, I plan to take him, or her, down myself."

_'Finally! Someone's taking action before being pushed to it!' _I smirked. _'Your search is over then.' _I cleared my throat, preparing myself for a long explanation. "I know who's the leader, King if you will, of Team Plasma," I began.

Elesa went wide-eyed, her mouth agape. She closed her eyes for a second before opening them again, relieving herself of her surprise. "Before you go on, I request that you tell me everything you know about this, because clearly, you do know something." Her voice was accusing, but I didn't blame her.

I nodded in understanding. I smirked at her compliance. _'We can run Team Plasma out of here in a snap.' _I could only hope that Elesa was prepared to be presented with the idea of Zekrom being awakened and recognizing Team Plasma's King as a hero. I braced myself for a bombardment of questions. "Elesa, did you know that Castelia City isn't the only place Team Plasma has under control?"

Elesa blinked. It was evident that she didn't know. She silently urged me to go on.

"About a week ago, give or take, Team Plasma took over Nuvema Town," I began.

"Where else?" she asked; pried even.

"They moved on, taking Accumula, Striaton, Nacrene, and now Castelia," I listed. "All within a week. Give or take." I pursed my lips; I felt like I was missing something. "Oh. I also overheard something about a sage going to a distant land, so I'm going to guess that you can add Aspertia, Flocessy, and Virbank to that list."

Elesa was speechless. She nodded, urging me to get to my point.

_'I'd be surprised too,' _I thought. _'After all, that's a good portion of Unova right there.'_ I sighed. "The real reason why I'm here is-"

"ELESA, DAAHLING!"

Elesa and I snapped our heads up, surprised at the sudden outburst. Our heads whipped around until they found their way to the opening of the alleyway. There stood a worried-looking model.

Elesa sighed. "I suppose my absence was to be noticed eventually..." she muttered to herself. "Yes? What is it?" Elesa asked calmly. However, it was still obvious that she was annoyed at being interrupted.

"A colleague of yours?" I asked. I knew that Elesa was a model on the side.

Elesa didn't look at me but she nodded.

"What are you doing here?!" the model asked worriedly as she ran up to Elesa. She dramatically clasped her hands together. "You must come back! The Mistralton City gym leader showed up looking for you! I'm afraid that your missing presence has been noticed!"

Elesa shrunk back ruefully and looked away. "So in the end, I've done nothing to help..." she muttered to herself. She turned to me. "Hilda, try not to be spotted. When you're done here, why don't you visit me at the gym? I'm sure we can finish our conversation there."

"But-!"

"Hush, child!" the model snapped.

I scowled. "Hey lady, this is impor-"

"I'm sorry Hilda, but she's right..." Elesa cut in uncomfortably. "I must go now." With that, Elesa and the model strutted out of the alley, leaving me to wallow in disbelief.

"I didn't even get to tell her that N's the King of Team Plasma or that Zekrom recognizes him as a hero..." I grumbled to myself as I tried to find Elesa's tall figure peeping out in the crowd. "GAAH! I talk too much!"

* * *

I decided that searching for Elesa in this kind of crowd would only be a waste of time and made my mother's security my priority.

By now, I became nearly blind to the sights before me and tuned out all of the noise. My senses have returned, but I decided just to block everything out. However, after aimlessly navigating myself to the Team Plasma building, I spotted a large mass of white which caused me to come to my senses. I then noticed that it was quieter around these parts and that the only people running by here were clad in white. It was still loud, as I could still hear the loud bombardments and screaming from distances away, but they all sounded so faint.

Suddenly I felt a lot more uncomfortable being the odd one out and scampered over to the side.

I continued to watch the various grunts running by; they seemed to be gathering together in one place, which happened to be right in front of the building my mother was in. I quickly dismissed the gathering when I saw more grunts scurrying away from the mass and charging past me with dangling metal boxes on their backs. I think they were all too busy to notice me.

I muttered profanities under my breath. _'What's going on? How am I supposed to get to my mother when the building is this packed?' _I looked to the side and noticed that I was but a few steps away from the gym. _'Maybe Burgh knows...'_ I started walking forwards to the gym when I was stopped.

"So... You've learned of what's happening." The voice came from right behind me. He sounded familiar.

I whipped around with my guard up. _'Rood..? Hm... Maybe he can answer some questions of mine.' _I let my guard down when I saw that he wasn't a threat. I haven't seen him more than maybe twice, but he didn't seem like he was out to get me like the others were.

Rood was standing behind me. "It was to happen eventually." He walked past me and then halted in front of me. "Come with me."

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay..." I replied. _'What does he want with me out of all people?'_

Rood guided me over to the large mass of Team Plasma grunts. Upon seeing us, I heard some of them gasp as they all scurried away to form a path for us to walk through. They bowed as we passed by.

I saw that they were scampering in and out of the building that I was going to sneak into. They probably made a headquarters out of it.

I smirked to myself. _'My mother's in there... Rood just made it easier to look for her.'_

As expected, Rood led me inside. Inside of the building Team Plasma grunts were scattering about the first floor. I slowed my pace and peered around the room, taking in every detail. The floor was almost completely covered up and littered with stacked metal boxes.

_'So this is where they're keeping all of the stolen pokemon...'_ I deducted. My eyes arched in frustration when I didn't see my mother around. _'Where is she? She was behind the counter yesterday...'_ I noticed Rood was walking out of my sight so I quickened my pace and ignored the disorder around me.

We went into an elevator. I noticed Rood hitting quite a few buttons, but only the third floor button lit up.

_'Huh... Aren't those floors usually locked?'_ I wondered. _'Wait, duh... They took over the building.' _I mentally rolled my eyes.

The elevator opened with a ding and Rood walked out. He gestured with his hand to follow him.

I walked out of the elevator door and took in the sights. Well, there weren't really that many. It looked like an office, but not like those cubicles I know that they had on the second floor.

_'The second floor... That's where mom must be!'_ I deduced. I made a mental note to "accidentally" press the second floor button on my way out.

It was a generic office that had bookcases for walls with a couple of chairs and side tables. The back wall was made of glass and overlooked across the street. If I walked closer, I was sure that I could spot the large mass of grunts huddled outside of the building. There was a large wooden office desk and it was then when I noticed that Rood and I weren't alone.

I saw Bronius' back to me. He was looking down through the window. There were two Team Plasma grunts at his side. Upon hearing us enter, Bronius whipped around. When his two grunts saw Rood and I, they bowed.

Rood walked over to Bronius' side as Bronius walked away from the window and looked at me. Bronius gave the two grunts at his side glances and they got the hint that their presence wasn't wanted. They scurried out of the way and went for the elevator, bowing as the doors closed.

"Why is she here?" Bronius finally asked. He didn't seem annoyed, just curious.

_'Nice to see you too, buddy.'_

"She came to Castelia City," explained Rood. "I believe this to be the opportune time to alert her of the situation. It also saves you the trip of finding her."

_'So even if I didn't come to the city, they would've looked for me anyway...'_ I pursed my lips. _'Am I really that important? D'aww, how flattering!'_ I jested in my head, allowing myself a small smile.

Bronius nodded to Rood and then turned to me.

"I think you're figured it out for yourself, but we are at war," Rood begun.

I nodded, waiting for him to go on. _'That much is obvious.'_

"The news of our takeover of Castelia City has reached many places in Unova, as expected," continued Bronius. He seemed so calm in the presence of another high-ranker. "I'm quite positive that our Lord N has told you he is on a break."

"Does he even know about all of this..?" I asked slyly. _'If he doesn't, I can have some fun with this.'_

"No," Rood replied.

I smirked. _'Game on.'_

"I believe you saw everything outside," Rood continued. "There are pokemon battles on every step, save for this street of course. This is a bigger blowout than our actual takeover!"

"Then why don't you just get..." I pursed my lips, unsure if I should still call him by his title in the presence of the sages. "Lord N... To finish it?" I asked. "Surely, he could end this without much effort."

Bronius nodded. "That is true," he agreed.

"However," Rood countered, "a noble beast like Zekrom would destroy the city, only fueling the rage of resistors." Rood looked away. "A hero he may be, but it may take some time for the people of Unova to accept this change."

I nodded. _'True, true...'_ I decided to counter back with, "He's still a top tier trainer; surely he could be a great asset?"

"Look outside again," Rood urged me. "The endless battles..! The pokemon are in pain; seeing that will break Lord N's heart, and maybe his will to go on."

_'That's a doltish reason to not tell him,'_ I decided. _'Isn't this guy King or something? I think he could handle this.' _N didn't seem like someone to back down so easily either.

"Now, for what you've been assigned to," Bronius claimed.

I grimaced. _'I gotta dole out more wreckage, don't I? I don't know how much more of this I could take until I'm devoured by my own guilt...'_

"Your assistance is not needed here," announced Bronius. "I believe that you have spent the day with Lord N, did you not?"

I nodded, unsure of where this was going.

"Where is he now?"

"Supposedly training in Pinwheel Forest."

Bronius and Rood looked at each other before shaking their heads. I thought I heard Rood mutter, "He hasn't been here... I haven't seen him," while Bronius sighed in relief.

I raised an eyebrow. _'This is so out of character for Bronius.'_

"Would you be so kind to ask Lord N to stay at your house?" Bronius asked sarcastically. Clearly, I didn't have a choice.

I deadpanned at the notion. _'Seriously? Am I his babysitter now?' _I smirked, amused. _'I'm babysitting a King! I'm honored!' _I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. "Yes, of course, but may I ask _why_?" I questioned, taking advantage of Bronius' calm demeanor.

"Our Lord N prefers to travel by riding on Zekrom," started Rood. "In the matter that he flies over, or even_ near_ Castelia City, he _will_ notice the pandemonium and descend."

"And then he'll see all this fighting, right?"

Rood nodded.

"So basically, you want him in my house so I have him under surveillance," I clarified.

"Yes, to make sure Lord N learns nothing of this minor setback," added Bronius. "You are to make sure that our Lord N knows absolutely nothing," he repeated. It was as if he didn't think I heard him the first time.

"Isn't it kinda wrong to not tell your own King about his own empire?" I asked, feeling a bit gutsy._ 'But now it makes sense why '__his Highness' is on break.'_

"This is for his own good!" Rood countered. He wasn't exactly angry, but he was trying hard to enforce his words. "We will not let our King's spirit be crushed. He will lead us to victory!"

_'Whatever you guys want to tell yourselves,' _I thought with a smirk. _'This is much too interesting to not alert him.'_

Bronius scowled. It was as if he read my mind. He followed up with a smirk of his own. "Of course, you do know that if our Lord N finds out about this ordeal, there will be consequences... I believe Lord Ghetsis has cautioned you already," he claimed in a sadistic voice.

I tensed. _'Oh, right.' _I pursed my lips. _'You know what? I feel like this is an empty threat. They flaunt it in my face way too much to be serious.' _I inwardly scoffed.

"So you best make sure that our Lord N knows nothing of this war," Bronius followed up, his voice dark.

"I got it..." I nodded and followed up with a smirk. "But, how do I know that you even have my friends?" I asked, feeling _really _gutsy. Defying Bronius was probably suicidal. Probably. "By now, it just feels like an empty threat," I admitted, voicing my thoughts.

While Rood looked rather amused, Bronius was slowly turning beet-red.

I had to stop myself from laughing at Bronius' reaction. I continued to stare at Bronius with a deadpanned expression, waiting for his answer.

"We thought you may have said that," admitted Rood, "but tell me. If something _more_ were to happen to your friends, whether you knew we had them or not, would you forgive yourself?" There was something about Rood's tone. He wasn't trying to be threatening, rather the question was solely inquisitive.

I froze but I didn't let them see the impact of his words on my face. _'Yeah... I didn't think this through, did I?'_

Bronius didn't look pleased, but soon a playful smirk grew on his face. "Did you know that your mother is in the city?" His voice was sadistically dark.

I scowled and clenched my teeth in anger. _'First my friends, now my family?! What a bunch of sadists!' _My eyes widened for a split second when I realized that I wasn't supposed to know that she was here. Feigning my surprise, I asked, "She is?"

Bronius looked content with my reaction. "She is."

An idea formed in my mind and I smirked before replacing it with a smut. "I don't believe you." I retorted. _'She's in this building, so they're is going to show her to me as proof. All I have to do is confirm her safety from the fighting and I'm good with myself.'_

"Like Rood said, you are free to believe what you want," Bronius teased. "However, if something were to happen to your mother, would you forgive yourself?"

I scowled. _'Alright, so I won't get to see her...'_ I mentally shook my head. _'No... She's so close; I have to keep trying.'_ Feeling _extremely _gutsy, I countered with, "Like I said... I believe all of this to be an empty threat." I narrowed my eyes, daring Bronius to cut me off. "Would _you _forgive yourselves if I was to go on and tell Lord N about this conflict here in the city?" I smirked when I finished my words. I had gained the upper hand.

Bronius looked like he wanted to murder me, while Rood was looking at Bronius' direction. Unlike his colleague, Rood looked like he was on the verge of laughter. He was clearly enjoying this as much as I was.

I realized that I had to take the initiative. "Show me one of my friends or my mother and I'll believe you," I offered, keeping my voice low. "Then I won't question you any more on the matter, but as for now, I don't believe you." I mentally fleered. _'This has to get me to see my mother... If it doesn't, then I don't know what will.'_

Rood nodded. "Very well. However, we still have other matters to discuss momentarily."

I blinked. _'That was easy.'_ Realizing that we weren't done, I nodded. "And what are those matters, Lord Rood?" I made sure to use his name with his title to show my compliance. I had already angered Bronius, and if I angered Rood, he might go back on his agreement.

"Before we go on, do you have any other questions?"

_'They're actually going to let me ask questions..?'_ I wondered. Taking advantage of the opportunity I asked, "Does Lord Ghetsis truly believe he can stop this many trainers without the assistance of Lord N?" I questioned, an inkling of doubt in my tone. _'Most of Unova's bound to finally notice the maleficence of Team Plasma by now...'_

"While it is true that we are outnumbered and the number of opposers are growing even to this moment, Lord Ghetsis has a plan," explained Rood, "but I will go into no further detail, for even I do not know what he has in mind."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. _'No King, no sages, is Ghetsis trying to overthrow the king?' _I smirked in amusement. _'Things are getting interesting.'_

"The only one whom he has confided in is Zinzolin, and he is still residing in Virbank City."

_'That far away...' _I thought to myself, trying to piece together everything.

"The more time you waste bantering, the more likely our Lord N is going to discover Castelia City's condition!" scolded Bronius. Either he didn't think I deserved to know anything or he was angry at my daring tone and just wanted me out of his sight.

_'Rood might be the only sage that doesn't hate me,' _I thought with an amused grin. I pursed my lips. _'I've been smiling an awful lot for someone who's in the lion's den.'_

"And you do remember the consequences if you fail to keep this war clandestine from our King, don't you?" threatened Bronius. "Lord Ghetsis has given me full permission to do as I please, if necessary. There is more than one fate on the line."

I felt my muscles tense up as I wanted to lunge myself at him. However, I knew that doing so would not solve anything, so I relieved my stance. Before I could speak again, Bronius cut me off.

"And why are you in Castelia City?" asked Bronius, his dour demeanor unhidden. "Do tell."

_'To train in Pinwheel Forest..?' _I thought. I shot the idea down. _'No, it may be true but he'll never buy that... Think fast!' _I blurted out the first thing that came in my head. "Lord N invited me to assist him in Nimbasa City and my Zubat does not know the way... My intentions were to introduce him to the city for easy travel. For tomorrow." I gave a winning smile and resisted the urge to hold two thumbs up.

Bronius raised an eyebrow. "Surely, that can wait," he mocked. It was clear that he didn't see through me, rather he wanted to make it hard for me. "And did you say you were leaving Nuvema Town?"

I waited to see if it was rhetorical. When I saw that it wasn't, I nodded.

"Then you best make sure that Lord N doesn't go out of your sight." warned Bronius, a sinister glint in his eye. He was trying to be threatening. It wasn't working, though. He way trying too hard.

I feigned a pout and weakly nodded my head. "But before I go..." I turned to Rood. "We have a deal."

Rood nodded. "Very well." He turned to Bronius. "Would you be so kind?"

Bronius simply nodded. He walked out from behind the desk and brushed past me. He pressed a button on the elevator and the door opened. He turned his head. "Well? Are you coming?"

"Oh, right..." I jogged my way over to the elevator. It closed as soon as I walked through. _'Finally... It's only been a day, but I don't feel too comfortable leaving her in the middle of this mess.'_

I almost jumped with joy when Bronius pressed the button to go to the second floor. I remembered that I still had to make this look like I hadn't seen her yet, so I kept a straight face. I had to hold myself back from bolting through the elevator doors when they finally opened.

I saw two people's backs to me, presumably Cheren's parents, but I paid no heed to them. Behind them, and facing my way might I add, was most definitely my mother.

_'Hopefully she'll get the hint...'_ I hoped. Bronius couldn't see my face from this angle, so I didn't bother putting on a surprised face. "M-Mom?!" I called out, feigning my shock. I narrowed my eyes, trying to send her a message to play along.

Before my mother could even react, the elevator doors closed.

"Wh-what..." I turned my head to the right and saw that Bronius had his finger on the first floor buttons. I turned to Bronius' face and gave him an expression that threatened to kill him. "WHAT THE HECK, MAN?!" I froze and coughed. "I mean, Lord Bronius," I said sweetly. I gave him another winning smile in hopes that he would go back up, but then I frowned. Even I knew that wouldn't happen.

"You saw her, didn't you?" he asked darkly. He grew a satisfied smirk and basked in his sadism. "That's all we agreed to."

My eyes twitched in anger and I felt my fists clench in frustration. _'What a jerk move!' _I relaxed my muscled and sulked back in place. _'That wasn't even more than one second...' _

"And now that you know we have your mother and your friends in our captivity, you wouldn't dare do anything dire, would you?" Bronius teased. The elevator doors opened, revealing the cluttered and crowded first floor. "Now, don't you have somewhere to go?" He was obviously tired of my presence. "I recommend that you don't take any detours."

"Yes, Lord Bronius," I replied in an equally mocking tone as I made my way out of the elevator. "Whatever you say."

"Halt!"

I stopped with one foot out the door and grimaced. _'What am I, a pet?'_

"I believe that you've been told on multiple occasions to bow to your superiors when you or he leaves." Bronius warned. He was clearly trying to tick me off.

_'Oh, right... Forgot about that,' _I thought sheepishly. _'Thank goodness they haven't killed me yet,'_ I joked. I turned around and wore a deadpan expression. "Lord Bronius," I bid with a dull and monotone voice with a bow. I turned around to leave the building.

From the corner of my eye, I saw two grunts lay their eyes on me and then scurry back to the elevator, presumably to rejoin Bronius.

* * *

On my way out of Castelia, I noticed that the population of non-Team Plasma trainers have grown. Not only that, but bulkier and stronger pokemon took up the streets. Teaam Plasma was clearly going to lose, but even if they were, I still had to make sure N didn't know anything for the sake of my mother and my friends, so here I was in Pinwheel Forest, aimlessly wandering about.

_'__Man, where is this guy?!' _I screeched in my head, frustrated. I'd been in Pinwheel Forest for a while now just looking for N. I could have sworn I saw him several times, but when I approached the figure, it fled, so it couldn't have been N. I was most definitely being stalked by a specific pokemon, though. That, or it was another trick of my lethargy. Again, I didn't get a full sleep. _'Because of Vanillish...' _I thought ruefully. I made a mental note to get back at him.

Pokemon were peering out of the tall grass just to get a look of me. It was as if they've never seen a human before, but that would be impossible; Team Plasma only overran this place two or three days ago. It did feel like forever though.

I sighed and crouched down by a timid Timburr. "I don't suppose you've seen a guy with green hair, have you..?"

The Timburr fearfully took a step back and then scurried back into the tall grass. When I looked around, all of the other pokemon followed in his example.

I sighed. "Thought so..." I stood back up and continued to trek through the forest. I looked both ways, somewhat hopeful that Timburr actually meant N was in the tall grass, but I saw nothing. _'I hope he hasn't found his way to Castelia City yet...' _I shuddered when I thought of the consequences.

When I looked up at the sky, I saw that the warm orange color was transcending into a dark red. It was eerie, but it was also relaxing.

I took a moment to take in the sight. Usually the sky just skipped to a dead purple, so I wanted to remember this. Considering that conflict going on in Castelia, it just seemed so... Uncanny.

"You're here?"

I whipped around and put my guard up. I relaxed when I saw that it was just N. _'Where was he this whole time?! How did he find me so easily?!' _Floating beside him was a Klang. _'Or Zoroark…' _I felt like I was missing something. Bronius' words to bow echoed in my head, so I instinctively did so.

N looked inquisitive. "Were you doing some training as well?"

I paused. "Yeah, I was about to."

N turned around, and at first I thought he was going to walk away, but then he started speaking. "The sky isn't usually like this…"

I wasn't sure whether he was talking to me or himself, so I just kept quiet.

"It's both serene and foreboding… Tell me; what do you think it means?" asked N.

_'What does the sky mean?'_ I raised an eyebrow. _'Or maybe N just has some sixth sense and is able to feel what's going on in Castelia…'_ I reasoned jocosely. '_But I can't let him find out no matter what…'_

N looked up intently at the sky while Klang just looked at him curiously.

"I think it means…" I started. I then decided to answer seriously, just in case this could come back to bite me sometime later. I took another look at the sky and tried to look at it poetically. "All endings don't have to be so abrupt and void."

The surely got N's attention. "What do you mean..?" I could tell from his voice that he didn't think I was wrong.

"Just look at the sky," I started off. "It's quite a sight, don't you think?"

N nodded, urging me to go on.

I frowned when I realized that that didn't answer anything. "We aren't just plunging into the darkness," I continued. "And usually, the sky turns immediately dark. Today, it's red." I pursed my lips when I realized how stupid that sounded. "It's almost as if it's transcending in a sweeter tone. As if saying the bleakness of the night, though dark to others, is a stage of beauty in itself," I added, trying to make my first statement seem not as stupid.

N looked up at the sky. "I see…"

_'Why am I here again..?'_ I knew I wasn't supposed to be conversing about the sky. _'Oh, right… I have to keep him under my watch_.' I cleared my throat. "Out of curiosity, where do you usually stay?"

"Stay?" echoed N. "Overnight?"

"Mhm."

"In Castelia City."

_'So that's why Bronius said I had to invite him over,'_ I thought, mentally rolling my eyes. "Since we're going to Nimbasa City together tomorrow, why don't you stay over at my house?" I asked. Then I frowned, not that he could see it. _'That sounded a bit creepy...' _Trying to cover it up, I added, "I'd think Vanillish would like it. After all, we didn't spend much time together with the flying lessons." I pursed my lips before approving my own words. _'Yeah, that's better.'_

At first, N's silence made me believe he was going to decline. However, he soon replied with "okay."

I sighed with relief. _'If he said no I'd have to use force... Not that I think I can force a guy with Zekrom to do anything.'_

"If you don't mind, though, I'd like to finish training."

I paled. _'If he decides to go from here to Castelia... Or even at the edge of the forest...' _

"I was actually about to go to the Dream Yard though."

_'What kind of luck is this?!' _I coughed. "Sure. Just come over when you're done."

N nodded and started walking out of my sight.

_'Where's he going..?' _Then I remembered that the sages said that he preferred to ride on Zekrom to get to places. _'Maybe this area isn't big enough to get Zekrom out?'_ I thought worriedly. _'I can't just stalk him... That would be creepy.'_ I decided to take his word for it and trust that he was going to the Dream Yard. _'Speaking of the Dream Yard... Aren't there some people hiding out there..?'_ My eyes widened as I reached into my bag for Zubat's pokeball. _'N's going there... __I gotta warn the brothers!'_

* * *

As soon as Zubat landed, I returned him to his pokeball without a word. I then bolted for the Striaton Gym, ignoring the inquisitive looks I got from the few people that were still out. I practically knocked down the gym doors when I finally laid eyes upon them. I just as forcefully shut them close, creating a big bang.

I heard a few gasps from behind the fire curtain, followed by running footsteps.

I started hyperventilating and leaned against the doors, using the handles as support. I turned around to see the bewildered faces of Chili and Amanita looking at me. "N's coming to Striaton..!" I managed to choke out.

Chili's eyes widened as he bolted back behind the curtain.

Amanita ran up to me. "Are you okay, Hilda?"

I nodded. "Y-Yeah... I-I'm just not a runner..."

"Oh, okay," she replied awkwardly.

The floor shook lightly; it probably wouldn't have been noticeable if there wasn't a silence between the two of us.

"What was that?"

"It was probably N landing with Zekrom in the Dream Yard..." I replied, still out of breath. I recalled the mini earthquake that Zekrom created back in Nuvema Town.

Amanita went wide eyed but said nothing more about it. "Are you coming or did you just want to warn us?"

I suddenly recalled the evolutionary stones that I found earlier. I nodded, huffing out my last exhausted breath and stood up, flicking the hair off of my shoulder.

Amanita and I walked over to the fire curtain. I held up the bottom as both of us ducked under it. Chili was standing over a table that Cress and Fennel were sitting at.

"Where's Cilan?" I asked as Amanita and I walked over and sat down, Chili following in suit.

"Hiding our pokemon," explained Cress.

"Thanks for the heads up, by the way," added Chili as he leaned back in his chair and comfortably put his hands behind his head.

"But... You said that there are people hiding in the Dream Yard, right? N's about to train there right now," I revealed worriedly. I turned to Fennel. "Didn't you say that Team Plasma was after them?"

Fennel smiled sweetly. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that."

I didn't even have to ask why. "Skyla came over here, offering to fly us out of the city," Cress explained.

"What?" I asked, surprised. "Skyla came here to fly you guys out and you said 'no?'"

"Yeah, well so did Lenora," Chili added in. "Something about protecting what's left of her exhibit."

I nodded. "Alright, but what about you guys? And how did she even know that Striaton City was down under? I thought everyone only knew about Castelia City."

"She said that Elesa told her about it," Chili replied. He didn't seem interested in the conversation.

"_Oh."_

"We denied because we couldn't leave behind that girl with the Snivy," replied Cress.

"You know, the one that you made _cry_?" Chili teased, a playful smirk on his face.

"Ha-ha," I replied, rolling my eyes with a grin. "But what about those guys hiding out in the Dream Yard?"

"Don't worry about it!" Amanita assured me. "We told Skyla to fly them out of the Dream Yard, so they probably left a while ago!"

I sighed with relief. "That's good to hear."

"They still have to be in hiding though," Cilan added in. He had come back from wherever he ran off to and sat down at a vacant seat. "Uh... We also told Skyla to make sure that she dropped them off at a Route. Even though the other towns and cities aren't taken over yet, I have no doubt that there are still some Team Plasma Grunts running a muck."

Cress nodded in agreement. "Team Plasma wouldn't abandon their criminal acts just because there's a conflict over Castelia City."

"So Skyla told you about that," I recapped. "Good." I looked to the side. "But I think that was your only chance to escape. As soon as this conflict is over, there will probably be a heavier guard on you guys."

Fennel sighed. "Probably."

"That's no fun..." Chili muttered.

"Oh yeah, I have something for you guys," I remembered, digging through my satchel.

"Are you Santa Claus or something?" Chili asked. "Every time you come over, you bring us gifts."

I found the three evolutionary stones. "Yup. I'm a holly, jolly, man from Sinnoh with a beard." I laid the three stones on the table.

Fennel's eyes lit up. "Evolutionary stones?" she asked with excitement.

I nodded. "Mhm. One for you, you, and you," I explained, pointing my finger at Chili, Cress, and Fennel respectively.

"COOL!" Chili practically jumped on the table and clutched the stone with two tight hands. "I gots me a SIMISEAR!"

"Yeah, yeah, just calm down buddy," I replied, smirking. I crossed my arms. "You gotta wait until 'his Highness' is out of the Dream Yard," I warned in a sing-song voice.

"And until it's lighter out," Fennel added, her eyes not prying off of the stone in her hands. "If they see the strong light emitting from out of the windows, they may suspect that we have pokemon."

"Speaking of pokemon," I begun, losing all silliness in my voice and demeanor. "How's the training?"

Everyone except Amanita looked at each other and exchanged glaces.

Finally, Fennel turned to me. "We've made progress, but they're still not top tier."

"Are they good at all?"

Fennel looked to the side and pursed her lips before deciding, "I'd say so. Especially since you've now given us the evolutionary stones." Fennel seemed to catch on. "Did you have something in mind?"

"It was an idea I was playing around with on the way here," I admitted.

All five of them leaned in with anxious ears.

"With that conflict in Castelia City going on, there isn't going to be much focus on the smaller cities, am I right?"

"Er..." Cilan wasn't getting the hint. "Go on..."

"You see, most of Team Plasma's attention will be on Castelia City," I explained. "I was there today, and Team Plasma grunts are severely outnumbered. If anything... It looked like Team Plasma was only stalling and attracting more attention."_  
_

"I see. So you say we strike when Team Plasma's at its weakest?" inquired Cress.

I nodded. "I'd say we start in Nuvema Town; not because I live there, but just because it's furthest from Castelia City. Then we move our way upwards."

Cress nodded. "Yes... That makes the most sense, but how are we going to get to Nuvema Town without being noticed?"

"Er... I guess I didn't think that part out, did I?"

Cilan didn't seem to care. "Well, uh, considering that you came up with the idea within twent-"

Suddenly, we all heard the sound of the door opening.

"Oh, shoot..!" I muttered as I quickly jolted up from my chair to look for a place to hide.

"Don't worry, I think it's just the girl coming in to vis-"

Within the next second, I dove through the opposite side of the fire curtain and barely witnessed two gingers clad in white going through the far side of the same curtain. Thankfully the two didn't notice me. I dove behind the counter and started to listen in.

"Wh-What are you doing here?!" screeched Fennel.

"Checking up on you," an unfamiliar voice sneered. "You didn't really think we were naive enough to leave you be, did you?"

_'Yes, actually. It's been days. And you don't even have guards outside!'_

Suddenly, I heard a faint roar. It was evident that the others did too.

"Hey, what was that?" another unfamiliar voice asked.

"I believe that was Lord N on Zekrom," answered the other one. "I think he was heading towards Accumula Town."

_'Below Accumula Town is Nuvema Town and...' _I jolted upright. _'Oh shoot! If he gets there before me, he might search my house and find my pokemon!' _I practically jumped through the doors but hurriedly made sure that they didn't create a "bang." I called out Zubat, and before he was even done materializing, I hoarsely whispered, "Fly, fly, fly! Nuvema Town!"

I was whisked away before I could even blink; obviously, Zubat got the hint. My whole vision was a dark and blurred purple. I hadn't realized that it was already night. Maybe five or ten seconds later, I landed in front of my house. I didn't even bat an eye when I resummoned Zubat to his pokeball and charged into my house.

_'No one?! No one... Good.' _I sighed with relief. A triumphant smirk grew on my face as I walked over to the couch. _'HA! My Zubat can out-fly a legendary-'_

* * *

**Filling in the Gaps : End**

* * *

I knew I said that I'd never let an update go over a week, so I am truly sorry again. However, I'm going to start working on chapter 18 right away, so I guarantee a quick update.

I think this is going to become a thing now : This is the worst chapter so far. I think my busy days kinda thwarted my writing this chapter. It feels like a jumbled mess... Oh well, what's one out of seventeen?

If any of you wonder why Alder couldn't have just refused N's right to challenge the Pokemon League, remember that the fact that N was the King of Team Plasma wasn't known by anyone out of Team Plasma until N confessed it on the ferriswheel. Because Hilda hasn't met N more than once, that confession didn't happen and Alder probably didn't know N was in charge of Team Plasma until after he was defeated.

And this was only hinted at, so I'll point it out if you guys didn't catch it. Bronius was so nervous and spiteful towards Hilda last chapter because N was missing, and as you now know, he wasn't supposed to know what was going on in Castelia. The fact that Bronius had to report back to Ghetsis meant that Ghetsis had made it Bronius' responsibility, and if N found out what was happening in Castelia City, Bronius was to blame.

That "poll" is still going on, anyway, until next chapter. Who do you see as the main character of BW2? Nate or Rosa? Rosa's winning by a super landslide. 2 votes, guys. I know there are at least three of you reading this XD

And 6 reviews? That's the most I've gotten for a chapter so far, so thanks guys!

Pokemon Trainer Josiah : Unfortunately, I don't plan to add Team Rocket or Ash to this story. However, Cilan's already in and Iris will be seen eventually, but they're the video game versions, not the anime versions. Sorry to disappoint you, and it's unfortunate that my story did not live up to your expectations. It's a shame I don't get your follow, but I'd like to thank you nonetheless for reading the first two chapters.

DigimonLoveForever : Haha, I guess this one was kinda short too, wasn't it? I'll try to make the next one longer. And don't worry about the N/Hilda, next chapter I'm currently planning on solely dedicating it to building up their friendship (or relationship if you like to think of it that way ;D) Thanks for reading and reviewing as always.

Jestie Uchiha : Thanks. You loved it even though it was only a paragraph or two? And if that one scene with N/Hilda made you giddy, I don't think you should read the next chapter, because it's going to be filled with only N/Hilda stuffs XD Thanks for reading and reviewing as always. By the way, I'll try to update faster.

Remepie : Humble? Talented writer? Nah. Maybe someday. Thanks for the reassuring words, too. I actually do hope to re-write this one when I get better though, so not so wonderful? And was that really a cliffhanger? I didn't think it was XD Thanks for reading and reviewing.

XrosaryX : Thanks for all the tips. It looks like you put a lot of thought into it. The only reason why I didn't make Hilda overwhelmed is that I felt that her character wouldn't be, but it was a good idea. I don't think I executed your advice well, but it's still really good advice. I think it'll help a lot later in the story too, so thanks for taking the time. You see, during my first draft, I kinda made it look like one giant mess, so that's why I "knocked her out." It actually did really help though. Again, thanks for reading and taking the time to help me out.

KawaiiJoltik : Thanks. As for Vanillish being a ferriswheelshipper? That'll be explained =P (eventually). And no problem. Thanks for also recommending that Google thing, but I also got a new laptop and it has Word on it. Hehe, sorry. Unfortunately, I know nothing about Doctor Who whatsoever, but it's good to know you made the headcanon thing work out. A friend of mine who is a big Doctor Who fan said that Looker was based off of the tenth doctor or something? And seriously, you got to stop thanking me and there's nothing to be sorry about O.o I'm going to guess "Allons-z" is some Doctor Who thing? (I should really start getting into that series but there's so many seasons ._.') Thank _you _for reading, reviewing, etc. Thank _you._


	18. How to Hide a Conspiracy

**Chapter 18 : How to Hide a Conspiracy**

* * *

I groused and grumbled to myself, clenching my already closed eyes even tighter.

I felt _terrible_.

I had an impounding headache. I felt like I was in suspended animation. I felt my fingers twitch to life as I feebly held my hand up to my forehead that felt suspiciously cold. My eyes fluttered open, and with that, my senses started coming back to me.

"You're awake."

My eyes shot wide open as I backed up and sat upright by pushing against my seat; apparently, I had been slouching. I winced a little as I felt a pain in my back from the abrupt change in position.

I saw N standing across the coffee table and looking at me.

"I'm awake..?" I echoed drowsily as I scratched the back of my head. "Strange..." I remarked. "I don't even remember going to sleep..." I felt like there was a point I was missing here, but I was too tired to even give it a second thought.

"Oh, yes." N got out something from his pocket. Evidently, it was a pokeball when N held it up and the item emitted a red light.

I watched Vanillish materialize and didn't even get to blink before he rushed over to me. "Vanillish, vanillish!" he screeched with a giant grin. He started flying in circles around me.

"He's glad that you're okay and he'd like to apologize," N translated.

"Apologize?" I echoed again as I looked at Vanillish quizzically. "For what?"

"As I reached over to open the door to your home, Vanillish bolted in front of me," explained N. "Then he used icy wind to bust the doors open, apparently in attempt to catch you off guard, but the attack had hit you instead, and as you can see, you were knocked out."

"Is that so..." I turned to Vanillite and scowled. "You just like to mess with my sleeping schedule, don't you?" I reached out a hand to pet him on the head to assure him that my words meant no harm.

"Van..." He gave me a sorry smile and gave off an awkward laugh.

I gave off a small smile of my own. "How long was I out?"

"The whole night," N answered plainly. "It's the afternoon, now."

I paled. _'Oh shoot... He didn't go upstairs, did he?'_ I took a deep breath. _'Whether he did or didn't, I shouldn't show concern, because if he didn't, now he will...'_ I looked at Vanillish in the hope that I could find some kind of hint, but my "search" was fruitless. "So... Nimbasa?" I asked while trying to avoid an awkward silence.

N nodded. "Whenever you're ready, but I'd like to go somewhere first." N looked away and then turned to my door. "I'll be back soon." With that he left.

"I wonder what's up with him..." I muttered to myself. It then occurred to me that he left Vanillish behind. Turning to him, I claimed, "This is pretty important."

Vanillish looked at me quizzically. "Van?"

"Did N go upstairs while I was down under?" I asked in all seriousness. "You see, that's where my pokemon are, and if he saw them, we'll be seperated..." I explained sadly.

Vanillish looked somewhat awed at my words for whatever reason and shook his head.

I sighed in relief. "Good..." I then smiled. "Though what did you two do last night? There's no way you both slept in as soon as you got here."

Vanillish turned away. "V-Vanillish, van..."

I pursed my lips. "Did you do something I'm not supposed to know about?" I asked, suspicious.

Vanillish vigorously shook his head. "Vanillish!"

I sulked back in my seat with a sigh. "Well, as long as I'm not getting separated from my friends, I suppose I can let it slide." I then smirked. "Just this time, though."

I thought I heard Vanillish sigh with relief.

"In any case, what do you want to do now?" I asked him. "I don't know what N's doing and it's obvious that you can't tell me, even if you wanted to."

Vanillish turned around with a beaming smile. There was a sinister glint in his eye as he flew over to my kitchen area. He bobbed himself in front of my poffin maker in excitement. "Vanillish, vanillish!"

I chuckled a little and lazily pushed myself off of the couch. "Alright, but before that, I have a little question for you."

Vanillish turned around and stared and gave me a questionable look that urged me to go on.

"What was with that flying stunt yesterday?" I asked, mildly amused. "And attacking me when I'm asleep. Or putting me to sleep."

Vanillish flashed me a cheeky grin and snickered. There was a sinister glint in his eye.

I gave him a smirk of my own. "I see... That's how it is. You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Vanillish stared me down, almost as if to say, "Challenge accepted," even though I had not even the slightest clue what we were competing in.

"Alright, you're on!" I declared jocosely as I held out my hand for him to shake. "Oh... right..." I sheepishly retracted my hand upon realizing that Vanillish didn't have anything. I settled for an awkward grin and a pat on the back.

Vanillish looked mildly amused. He nodded with a sweet smile and then turned around and started nudging some berries with his face. "Van..." he griped when he couldn't pick one up.

"Hey, don't worry! I got it," I claimed as I went over to him and scooped up the berries and put them into the bowl. "Now... Which one of us is mixing?"

* * *

Sometime after Vanillish and I gorged ourselves in poffins, N came back. I didn't bother to ask him where he went; it didn't really matter to me. N returned an unwilling Vanillish to his pokeball. After we exited my house, he called out Archeops and I, getting the hint, called out Zubat.

N climbed onto Archeops. "Fly to Nimbasa City," he told him.

I turned to Zubat. "You too."

Zubat cocked his head in confusion and made a chattering noise.

"Oh, that's right... You don't know where Nimbasa City is, do you?" I realized. "Hm... It looks like we're going to have to go to Castelia and then walk the rest of the way." I pursed my lips; going back to that "war zone" was not something I was looking forward to.

Zubat looked somewhat worried.

I flashed him a smile. "Hey, don't worry about it."

That seemed to relieve him. Zubat flied to my back and lifted the back of my vest with his teeth and prepared for flight until N's voice stopped us.

"You've never been to Nimbasa City before?" he asked. Clearly, the question was directed towards Zubat, but he was looking at me. "A minor setback. It's late in the afternoon. I don't want to waste time in examining the Nimbasa City gym," claimed N. "We'll just ride on Zekrom."

_'I get to see a legendary pokemon..? No, RIDE IT?!' _I thought, excited. However, I couldn't help but feel that I was forgetting something. I pursed my lips and started thinking. _'Hm... Nimbasa City is over Castelia City, isn't it..? In that case, since Zekrom probably doesn't know fly, he'd fly over at a much slower pace, and thus... He'd hear all of the bombardments of the conflict in Castelia City, and if he looked down...' _I pursed my lips the other way. '_It didn't take me too long to remember that... Wait, wait a second...' _

To put it short, riding Zekrom would let N notice Castelia City.

N lifted up Archeops' pokeball to resummon him when I intervened.

"W-Wait a second," I cut in. "Riding Zekrom would probably take a while to get to Nimbasa City if it doesn't know fly, and as you said, all time is precious," I reasoned. _'Not to mention that we'd be over Castelia City for a good while.' _I frowned to myself. _'A long while.'_

I was sure that Zekrom was pretty roomy and I wouldn't feel the need to strangle N in my nervousness, not to mention that it was _the _Zekrom, but legendary or not, it would be a pretty lengthy ride to Nimbasa, meaning that we'd be flying over Castelia well over long enough for N to notice the chaos going on, if the sounds from a distance didn't catch his attention first.

"You do have a point, but then what do you suggest we do?"

"Uh..." I hummed, trying to think of something. _'That's right... What do we do then? He shot down just letting me and Zubat walk over from Castelia City.'_

Archeops started squawking as he nudged N with his wing. He then craned his neck towards his back.

N nodded to Archeops and then turned around to face me again. "He suggests that we both get on his back."

_'Again?!'_ I thought, dumbfounded. _'We almost fell off last time! Not to mention that it was awkward...' _I looked away and cringed.

N seemed to get the hint that I would refuse. "Then we'll have to fly on Zekrom. Waiting for you to walk from Castelia City to Nimbasa City would be a waste of time."

I frowned. _'I guess I have no choice then...' _I coughed. "Archeops is fine then. Zekrom would probably take as long as me walking from Castelia to Nimbasa," I informed him. _'It's a shame that I don't get to see it,'_ I thought sadly. _'Being able to say that I've ridden a legendary pokemon would've been pretty cool...' _I would've been all for it if it weren't for them "hostages."

N nodded to me and then swiftly jumped onto Archeops. He then gestured for me to come on.

I turned to Zubat. "Some other time, 'kay buddy?" I held up his pokeball, prepared to return him.

Zubat bowed his head in understanding as he dissolved into the red light that traced back to the pokeball in my hand.

I turned to N and Archeops and mentally gulped. _'I swear, if my mother wasn't in Castelia City...' _I cursed as I walked over to the two waiting patiently for me. _'I don't suppose he could suspend me in the air with his claws, could he? That way's more fun and safer...'_ I didn't bother to voice my request as I walked behind Archeops. I reasoned to myself that there was more than enough space to distance myself from N and that the ride would only last around twenty seconds or so.

Archeops seemed to be preparing himself for the weight of two people. I recalled that last time he was exhausted after our little test run.

I hoisted myself onto Archeops and slid as far back as I could without falling off. I contemplated on whether he would allow me to hold onto his feathers or not, but I didn't even have time for that.

Before I could even blink, we were already airborne. I couldn't even process what was happening when I realized that I wasn't sitting on Archeops. In that split second, I instinctively clenched my eyes shut and helplessly groped the air until I found myself wrapping my arms around Archeops' lower body in a death grip.I thought I felt myself fall back a little, but I was soon "secured" in place, drifting in the strong wind like a kite. A crudely made kite. I was anticipating the moment where my grip would loosen and I'd be left to fall to my death. I refused to open my eyes.

Not being a screamer, I tried to go to my happy place. _'Okay, okay... Twenty seconds or so. I can do this. Ha. Haha. If this wasn't life-threatening, this would be kinda fun! Ha! Hahaha!'_ I clenched my eyes tighter and cursed the moment I said, "Archeops is fine." Frowning, I tried to calm myself more. _'I think I'm going insane. I'm not going to die. I won't. Archeops is a reliable pokemon, but I think I'm hurting him... I'll have to loosen my grip,'_ I decided as I lessened my hold only a wind was pushing me back more and more, but I didn't notice until it was too late. _'Now that I'm secured in place I- OH MY HOLINESS, I'M SLIPPING!' _

Just when I thought I was going to get pushed off of Archeops completely, I felt his surprisingly soft talons grip my elbows. With both his claws on my elbows and my now even stronger death grip on him, I was sure I was safe.

_'Oh my goodness! Archeops! I love you!' _I proclaimed in my mind, eternally grateful that he caught me. I mentally sighed but then tried to make light of the moment. A shy smile tugged on the corners of my mouth. _'This is just like me... Like yesterday when I thought I was falling off and that I almost shoved N off to his doom...' _I recalled with a smile. _'It's a good thing neither of them can read my mind. They'd probably drop me for griping so much. Okay, I can handle this,'_ I decided as I opened my eyes and saw a furry of orange feathers below me. I paled. If I was seeing Archeop's body beneath me, I couldn't be embracing him. _'Wait a second... If I'm not killing Archeops...'_

"Just because I know you're going to ask... Yes, you have been thinking out loud."

The voice was ironically calm, but sounded suppressed... Like he couldn't breath to his fullest extent. And it came from right in front of me. So close that I could feel the vibrations from him speaking.

I felt all of the color drain from my face as my mouth went agape in disbelief. I felt sick to my stomach and my limbs felt like jelly. With great effort I lifted my head up, only for my vision to be clouded by flowing white cloth that was so close that it was all that I could see and it kept hitting me in the face. Feeling as though I was in a nightmare, I looked up, only to be overshadowed by sickeningly familiar green hair. _'Oh my gosh... I'm choking N!'_

"Not anymore..."

_'Are you kidding me?!' _I internally screeched to myself, although I was now unsure of whether I said that aloud or not. I took a deep breath to try and quell myself.

I was almost positive that Vanillish was in his pokeball snickering his little head off right now. I was sure that he was enjoying this; that is if he was even "awake" at this moment.

"I'm sorry, I'll let go!"

"But then you'll fall..."

"Oh shoot, you're right!"

While I couldn't see it because in front of me was N's back and below me was Archeops' body, there was definitely a large distance between us and the ground. That left choking my "boss" to death at an awfully close position... The wind was getting stronger, too; I felt like I was falling. There was just no winning.

In fact, I think I felt so awkward in the situation that I felt like we stopped completely. There was a pounding feeling throughout my body and I felt like I was laying on concrete. _'Or... Wait a second...' _I reluctantly opened my eyes and saw nothing.

I felt something, though. It was vibrating. It took me a second to realize that it was N's voice. He was hissing to himself. In fact, if I wasn't touching him, I probably wouldn't have heard it.

_'Wait, what?'_ My eyes drifted down and I saw concrete just a mere inch or two away from my face. _'Okay, so we landed...'_ I was dumbfounded at how long it took me to realize what exactly had happened; we had landed and I was holding onto N so hard that I had pulled both him and myself off of Archeops. _'Oh... Oh! That explains why my body hurts! Wait a second...'_ My forehead was still pressed against his back and I was still holding him in a death grip. '_Oh, shoot!' _I quickly let go and did a movement that resembled a push-up, standing up in less than a second. I dusted off my vest and narrowed my eyes, looking both ways to ensure that there were no witnesses. _'I should start counting these awkward moments up... And taking pictures. Oh, I got it! I can make a scrap book!' _I thought jocosely while smirking to myself.

I noticed that Archeops looked more or less amused, but upon eye contact with me, he turned away and flared his wings proudly, waiting oh-so valiantly for his trainer to return him to his pokeball.

_'His trainer... Oh shoot, N's still on the ground!' _I had to stop myself from chuckling at my folly and put up the straightest face I could manage. "I, er, apologize for that..." I murmured as I held out a hand, hoping that N would find this whole ordeal funny as I did. If he didn't, I may as well have just killed my family and friends. Especially if he was injured in any way. I almost shuddered.

N rubbed his head with one hand and turned his body to face me. He didn't look up at me but took my hand anyway and helped himself to stand up. Without a word, he returned Archeops to his pokeball.

I started to pale. _'He is not amused. I'm going to die. We're all going to die! We're-!'_ A shy smile crept its way onto my face. Even though my thoughts were quasi-humorous, it was a given that I was overshooting my possible "punishment" for what I deemed comedic effect. I was starting to feel like my old self again... A few days ago, I probably wouldn't have smiled to my own thoughts.

But I was getting off track. I cleared my throat.

"Uh... You aren't hurt, are you?" I asked sheepishly. I grimaced at my attempt at starting a conversation, not that he could see it though.

N didn't say a word. He shook his head and just continued to walk towards the amusement park. I started to feel a little uneasy.

I could feel an awkward bead of sweat rolling down the back of my head._ 'Yup. Awkward.'_ I sighed, though from relief or from the absurdity of what just happened, I couldn't tell. _'So... Do I follow him or did he just ditch me?'_ I thought awkwardly. _'Er... I'll play it safe,'_ I decided as I jogged for him, slowing my pace as I approached behind him. _'I didn't break him, did I? I was holding him awfully tight...'_

I took the time to look around me. I finally noticed how many people were here. Quite a lot; there were a lot of little kids and young adults, all running towards the amusement park. N and I were the odd ones out, walking and all that. It was evident that N didn't know what was going on either when he looked around. I didn't see the expression on his face, but his body language was enough for me to deduct that.

It only seemed to get louder and louder as we got closer to the amusement park. More crowded, too. It usually wasn't this packed. It was then when I realized that there were barely any adults around.

_'They're probably off fighting in Castelia City,'_ I reasoned with myself, _'but it still doesn't explain the population spike...'_ I looked around, trying to spot some sort of hint, but to no avail.

Finally, we found ourselves in front of the gym, but at the end of a long line.

"A line..?" I examined. "Since when do this many people come to challenge the gym at once? Better yet... Why line up?" Elesa's gym didn't work this way; challengers would enter the gym and battle to decide who would enter the roller coaster and so on until they reached Elesa, so why have everyone wait outside?

"I'm going to assume that it wasn't like this when you challenged the gym either," N inquired to himself. He clearly saw the behavior as strange. "If we're going to get in there, we should line up while the line is still, er... Short," he suggested. From the tone of his voice, I could tell that he knew that it was long, but there were people lining up every second. He was about to move when I stopped him.

"Wait," I interrupted.

I saw N halt from the corner of my eye. He turned his body and looked at me curiously.

I jogged over to the entrance of the gym and approached the first people on line. "Hey, sorry for the interruption, but just a quick question. Why are there so many gym challengers today?" I doubted that she knew the answer, but at the very least, it would strike up the conversation.

The girl looked at me quizzically, followed by her friends' confused gazes. "'Gym challengers?'" she echoed. "Do you mean that you're here to challenge the gym?" she asked.

"Uh... Yeah." It may have been a lie, but she probably wouldn't give it a second thought. It wasn't a big lie either. Telling the truth would've taken longer, anyway.

"I didn't know Elesa was accepting gym battles today!" the girl claimed. "Actually, today-"

"Come on, let's go!" coaxed one of her friends as the rest of the group started entering the gym. "It's our turn!"

"Oh, uh..." The girl turned away from me, completely forgetting our conversation. "Coming!" With that, she scurried away from me and in through the bulky gym doors.

The line moved forward like an automated machine.

"Yeah... Nice talk..." I muttered to myself as I turned away from the line. I craned my head towards the gym door and saw the usual old man handing out waters standing by them, welcoming the group of girls as they walked in. I held out a hand to him. "Excuse me, uh, sir-"

"If you want one of my free waters, you're going to have to wait!"

"No, no... It's not that," I assured him sheepishly. "My friend and I were just wondering if Elesa was in to take challengers."

The man suddenly quelled himself and seemed quite merry. "Oh, then it seems that the two of you haven't heard the news yet."

"What news?" I wasn't sure whether it was good news or bad news, and that in itself was worrisome enough.

"With the current situation and whatnot, Elesa decided that she wanted to give joy to everyone!" he claimed proudly, a smug look on his face. "That's why there's a festival today!"

I pursed my lips. I was convinced that Elesa wouldn't do this. If anything, she'd be rallying everyone up to go and fight in Castelia. Then it hit me. "Wait a second... A festival?" I looked around me.

People, mostly around my age or younger, were walking around and the amusement park was most definitely more crowded than usual. Laughter filled the air along with the hums of conversations. It was loud, but not ear-piercing. Despite the population increase, I didn't see this "festival" this guy was referring to.

"So what, is everyone just walking around?" I asked as the next group of people entered the gym, the line moving up again and some rather sick people exiting through the other double door.

The man moved to the side, allowing the green-faced teenagers to pass. "No. There are stalls with food and carnival games in all of the tents! I believe Elesa is off enjoying the festival herself. She left the gym open for people to ride the roller coaster, battle free!" he explained. Despite being the doorman, he seemed to be having a swell time himself.

"What tents?" I continued to ask. I looked around me and saw no tents whatsoever.

"Oh, you know... The giant pokemon ones?"

"Those things were tents?! No way!" I was astonished at how I was never able to tell.

The man nodded. "Always have been! Except, we never found use for them... Until now!" he rejoiced merrily. "Go on! Have fun at the festival!" he urged me. "Or would you like to ride the roller coaster? Unfortunately, you'd have to wait in line like everybody else, but it will be a lot more exhilarating without having to battle to use it!"

I nodded and smiled. "Thanks for the info." I turned away and was about to find N but I nearly jumped when he was just standing behind me. "Er... So, what do you want to do? Wanna wait on this line to get into the gym?"

N gave me a blank stare and then shook his head. "No... It would be difficult to scrutinize the gym with so many people around," he claimed. "A waste of time to wait on this line, too," he added. He turned away. "In any case, we can come back later. I was thinking of going back to Castelia City and checking up on that gym; Burgh is a sly one, and he may have found a way to get around us."

I grimaced. _'And so it begins... Think fast!' _I almost rolled my eyes at my own thoughts. _'For what?! It's a festival!' _I cleared my throat to make N stop in his tracks. "Alright, so we can't ride some roller coaster until later, but it's a festival! Play some games, dance with someone! Buy a cookie... And eat it!" I offered playfully. I resisted the urge to nudge him.

N looked at me oddly. I suppose I would've done the same. "I'd feel much more comfortable checking up on the city..." N looked around to see if anyone was listening in. "The people whom I have recruited to help us... They must be exhausted. If anything happened to them, they are under my protection as well, so I must."

_'He's talking about Team Plasma, right? Some pretty admirable words directed to a pile of scum. Or sludge? I think it's sludge...'_ I shook my head at my irrelevant thoughts. "But they wanted you to take a break, didn't they?" I retorted. "They're worried about your well being. You said the sages told you that you should go to the amusement park today, didn't they? It was because they knew that there would be a festival!" I continued. _'Yeah, yeah, that's good! Just keep throwing stuff at him like that and he'll stay!_'

N looked to the side as if he was contemplating my words. He then turned around again so we were facing each other.

_'Gotta keep going..!' _I realized. "If your people thought that they were overworking you, they'd never forgive themselves, so by enjoying yourself, you'd actually be doing them a favor!"

"I suppose you're right..." N muttered. "The last thing I'd want is for them to feel uneasiness..."

I smirked to myself. _'I got him right where I want him.'_

He turned away from me again. "But I'd never forgive myself if something was happening and I wasn't there to help."

_'Admirable, but I won't accept it!' _I pushed myself to think harder.

"And in any case, I've never been to a festival before, so-"

"OH! Then you have to try some games!" I cut him off practically screeching, grabbing his arm and started pulling him away from the gym doors. _'Ha! Game set!' _I thought with a victorious smirk followed by a scowl. _'That is... If he doesn't have my head cut off for harassment...'_

* * *

"Just throw the ball at that stack of cups!" I directed N rather hastily. After I had basically dragged him over here, he had tried to "escape" to Castelia City at least twice, but I would have none of it. _'He'll see my behavior as a loyal subject trying to coax her king into relaxation, right? I hope so...'_

Currently, we were in an Audino tent the size of a skyscraper. The place had a fair amount of people in it, walking around and tending to the booths. Most of them were your average carnival games, with a few mixes of small food stands here and there. Like the outside, it was loud, but somewhat nice at the same time.

"Come on, it's on me anyway!" I continued to coax, shoving a soft ball in his hand. _'I may be broke by the end of the day, but I can't help it... I love festivals! And the lives of my loved ones!'_

"This is ridiculous," N commented as he stared at the softball in his hand. "What is the point of knocking down a few cups with this ball here?"

"It's fun!" I answered simply as I continued to watch N like a hawk. _'One move away from the stand and I'll have to tackle you to the ground, pretty boy.'_

N looked up at the stack of three cups before him. He then glanced to the side, watching the other people around our age throwing balls at their own respective stacks, then back to his own. "I don't see how this suffices as 'fun.'"

"Looks like someone's never been to a carnival before," commented the booth's vendor. He had apparently been watching our whole exchange. "Tell you what, m'boy. I don't usually do this, but you knock these three down, I'll give you the biggest prize without having to trade up!" he offered as he moved away to gesture at the hanging prizes. "A giant Audino, a giant Pikachu, or a giant Emolga! You can choose one of them! That is, if you win. I'm sure your girlfriend over there would like that," he offered with a wink.

I chuckled at his friendly demeanor. "Not his girlfriend, but this game is on me. He just probably hasn't had fun once in his life," I jested with the vendor.

"I just don't see the point," N interrupted. "Pay to throw one ball at a stack of cups, and if I do, I get a plush toy that's probably only worth a fifth of what was paid?"

"First of all, you get three. Three balls," the vendor corrected. "And secondly, you're paying for the environment! The memories!" He threw his hands up in the air.

"Yeah!" I joined in. "Don't you want the right to say that you've been conned before?! It's for the experience of this wondrous occasion!"

"J-Just ignore her, I ain't conning!" the vendor hurriedly replied.

"Oh really?" I interrupted slyly. "Explain to him this 'trading up' prizes."

"I gave him a deal, didn't I? Give me a break, little lady!"

"Heh!" I smiled in triumph. I turned to N, realizing that the conversation had drifted away. "But in any case, just try it. He was right about saying that it makes memories. You've said you've never been to one of these before, right?" I urged him. "Plus, I already paid the man..."

N gave a nonchalant shrug. He seemed tired of fighting back. "After this I'm returning to work for my people," he answered with an unmistakable irritability in his voice.

"Work?! Now?! Nonsense, kid!" the vendor exclaimed. He then sidestepped out of the way and gestured his hand to the untouched stack. "Take your shots! Now if you excuse me, some other kid on a further table got his done and I need to get him his prize," he claimed as he scurried away to the far end of the booth.

"Just throw these balls at those cups over there?"

"Mhm. Just try to knock them down," I assured him. "You've got three tries anyway."

N nodded and stared at the cups before him. He then effortlessly tossed the ball towards the stack, not even bothering to move his shoulder. I wasn't surprised when the ball hit the smack center but the cups didn't even wiggle.

"Uh... N, you gotta put more force into it."

N complied, but he didn't add much more force. The cups shook, but they didn't fall off.

"You're really new to this, aren't you?" I asked with a deadpanned expression.

"I've never been to a festival before," he repeated as he continued to stare at the cups. He gave his final effortless shot, and to no surprise, the cups didn't knock down. "I suppose I just wasn't meant for this kind of environment. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

"Wait a second, you've admitted that you've never been to one of these before," I interrupted, stopping him from advancing. "Why not?"

N didn't turn around to look at me, but he definitely tensed up.

Deciding that I was touching upon a topic that was apparently sensitive for some reason, I switched it. "Isn't there something you've wanted to do? You've wanted to try?"

N shook his head, but instead of continuing to walk away, he just stood there.

"Uh..." I was unsure of what to do next. _'Clearly, games aren't his things, but then what? There's always the foods...'_ I decided to try and go for that. "You know, there are always a lot of foods during carnivals, or festivals. You can get them anywhere, but they taste better when you eat it here," I urged.

"How is that possible? A taste isn't determined by location."

I felt a smug smile tug at the corner of my lips. _'Alright. I'll take that as a hint he's staying. I've delayed him a few more minutes, but he's going to try and leave again later.'_ I made a mental note to keep brainstorming ideas. "It's the environment!" I answered.

N turned to me with a skeptical and very confused face. "That... Doesn't make any sense."

"Oh really?" I dared him. "Try it, then tell me that." I craned my head in all different directions before I finally spotted a cotton candy cart just behind me. "Cotton candy is one of my favorites," I claimed. I turned my head around to ensure that N was still behind me. "Come on," I urged him as I approached the cotton candy cart. I dug through my satchel for my wallet and took out the necessary amount needed. "Two, please." I handed the money to the lady manning the cart.

She smiled and took the money and began to spin the confection onto a stick.

I heard N approach from behind. When I looked up at him, he was staring at the lady's actions in awe.

_'Has he never seen cotton candy before..?' _I thought disbelievingly. Trying to strike up a conversation I asked, "Ever try some?"

N simply shook his head. When the lady was finished, N took both of the sticks and handed me one. Then, we continued walking.

I took a heaping bite of mine and felt satisfaction when it all started to dissolved in my mouth. I looked over at N who was just staring at it. "Come on, eat it. I already paid for it."

"This doesn't look edible," he commented. Despite the nature of his words, he brought up the cotton candy to his lips and took a timid bite. He flinched not one second later, presumably because the dissolving sensation startled him. However, he soon succumbed to the sweetness and took a more grateful bite. I could have sworn I saw the tiniest hint of a smile tug at the corner of his lip, but he was looking down, so there was no way to tell if I was seeing things or not.

_'Come to think of it, I've never seen N smile...'_ I thought to myself as I returned to my own cotton candy. _'Well I have, but it's always that devious smirk he wears when he's battling an opposer to his ideals or preaching to the people he's about to conquer. That, or that blind smile that holds no emotion every time he's alone. Was this a genuine smile or not? Or was it even a smile at all?' _I made a face at how absurd my thoughts were getting. When had I noticed that anyway?

"Is something the matter?"

N's words shook me out of my thoughts. "What? Oh, no. Just thinking..." I claimed.

"Have you been to these?" N asked. "Festivals, I mean... When you were younger."

I nodded. "Tons of times," I answered. "I used to look forward to these things all the time as a kid." I felt a nostalgic but shy smile tug on the side of my lips.

"I see..." N muttered to himself. He turned to the side and stared at a ring toss booth. "Then if you don't mind, I'd like to try one of these again."

I blinked once, then twice. That certainly wasn't a request I thought I'd hear from him. "Go for it."

* * *

N and I pretty much went on a spree of playing games in the Audino tent. I never did see him smile; he just continued to wear that same blank expression. I thought that he was feeling a bit down the more we played some games, but he didn't fight back when I dragged him to more; happy or not, there was no way I was letting him leave to Castelia City.

On the contrary, I was having a lot of fun; this was my childish side kicking in. Differing from the first stall we went to, all of the games we played were competitive ones. I never won and N never tried, so we never recieved any more prizes. I personally didn't care for the prizes; playing these games was just the bit of relaxation I needed.

Currently, N and I were at a water race booth. I was shooting the water like I had to to save my life while N lazily held his gun up apathetically as he boringly watched the gauge fill up.

_'What a kill joy... I don't get this guy,'_ I decided as I continued to watch my own gauge in anxiety. My thoughts didn't echo my physical appearance in any way. I felt a giant smirk plastered on my face as I watched the gauge go higher and higher. _'So he wants to play some games, cool. But he looks unbelievably bored! What does it take to get this guy to smile?!'_

Sometime during our montage I made it a personal mission to get him to smile; not really for his sake, but for my own amusement. It was proving to be a challenge, which was both satisfying and frustrating at the same time.

My eyes widened and my smile grew as I was so close to finally winning something. _'No way, I-'_

"Winner!" the vendor exclaimed as he tossed a prize towards the further end of the booth.

"What?! No way, that was mine!" I exclaimed. "Cheats! I call cheats!"

"Sorry," an unconvincing voice called out from some distance away. "Maybe next time."

_'Hey... I know that voice...'_ I decided as I leaned to the side to try and get a view of the person. I squinted my eyes when I saw the person pocketing the miniature prize.

He had apparently seen me looking at him because he turned to my side. There was a somewhat surprised look on his face. "Hilda? Is that you?"

I felt myself smirk. "Heey, it's subway buddy!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing at a place like this?"

Hilbert returned a smile of his own and shrugged. "The subway's closed today due to this festival... I thought I might as well check it out."

"A friend of yours..?" N asked out of no where.

_'Oh... I forgot he was here, haha!' _I nodded. "Yup. Hilbert here calls me to come over whenever he wants to try the multi-train in the Battle Subway. We've been 'subway buddies' since we met outside of the Subway and battled the bosses together."

"We're almost at our 21st win," Hilbert explained proudly. "Which is why I've been meaning to ask you, are you free soon? I'd like to try and battle the bosses on the multi-train soon."

"Soon..? Er... Maybe. Probably. It depends." I didn't know how long I'd have to keep an eye on N, so I wasn't making any promises. _'But if what Elesa said is true, we should win in no time and Team Plasma will be pushed back.'_

"Well, I'm where I always am," Hilbert informed me. "By the way, we have a spectator now."

"Oh really?" I asked curiously.

"Yup. I took up a protege," he explained proudly. "I met h-"

"Hey, you guys can go talk over some place else!" the vendor exclaimed, interrupting our conversation. "You're holding up the lines!"

I scratched the back of my head as the three of us sheepishly backed away from the booth with only Hilbert and I muttering an apology.

"Maybe we should catch up someplace else," Hilbert suggested. "Well, you know where I hang out."

I nodded. "Right. See you soon, then."

Hilbert nodded and then jogged off in the other direction.

_'There he goes,' _I commented. I turned to N. _'Now what's up next for his Highness over here?'_

I waited for N to say something but he just continued to stand there. He was staring out in deep thought. Finally, he snapped himself out of his stupor. "I believe I'm done here. I'll be going back to the city, now."

"Wait, uh... Don't you want to see how long the line to the gym is now?" I offered. "It was long earlier, but maybe the line shortened?" I could only hope that he didn't pick up the questioning tone in my voice.

N didn't look convinced, but he nodded.

_'Okay, good. Now I have to think of another excuse for him to stay...'_

* * *

To no surprise, the line to get into the gym was even longer. On the bright side, I stalled him for another good five or ten minutes. The sky was already fading into orange.

_'Quick... Think of another reason for him to stay..!' _I looked around me until I felt a tug on my ponytail. "Ack! Who..?" I whipped around and saw that no one was behind me, or at least close enough to me. What I did see was the Ferris wheel some distance away with no line in sight. I smirked. Fate was on my side this time. "You said you wanted to survey the gym for... er... purposes, right?" The question was rhetorical of course, and I couldn't out on N being the king of Team Plasma; publicly, at least.

N followed my gaze and rested his eyes on the Ferris wheel.

"If we went on that, we could see the whole park from an aerial view," I suggested. "You'd see the whole layout around the gym, you know... Just in case?" I pursed my lips, unsure of whether N was buying it or not. "I mean... There's no line, and you're already here, right?"

N didn't seem to hear my words. He continued to stare at the Ferris wheel with deep interest. He looked captivated, but his eyes were blind as always. "I love Ferris wheels. The circular motion… The mechanics… They're like collections of elegant formulas."

_'Well okay then,'_ I thought, a little weirded out by his random spur of Ferris wheel worshipings. I shrugged to myself. _'Well, I got him up there, at least.'_

The two of us had a silent walk over to the Ferris wheel. That is, until some loud voices snapped us out of our stupors.

"Come and watch the elemental monkeys!"

"The Patrat show!"

"My Musharna can put anyone to sleep!"

Both of our heads shot around as we finally noticed banding groups of people. N kept walking despite his confusion, so I didn't bother to stop and ask what was going on.

As we continued walking, I noticed that there were dozens of circles with money being thrown. I was finally able to identify what was happening.

_'So it seems that some trainers are putting up pokemon shows for some quick cash,'_ I thought. _'Inside the tents are stalls, outside the tents are pokemon.'_

I noticed one trainer using his Zorua to amuse young kids by having her morph into them, while an Oshawott was blowing bubbles, followed by a Pansage, Panpour, and Pansear doing some kind of circus trick. There were all different kinds of shows. However, I noticed one similarity. All of the pokemon looked worn down.

I felt a look of sympathy grow on my face as I looked from circle to circle.

N came to a halt, causing me to follow in his example. We had made it to the Ferris wheel, and exactly as I saw it earlier, there was no line.

Neither of us said a word as we stepped into the cabin and watched the cold mechanical door close. We each sat on our respective sides with N on the right and me on the left, but we wouldn't look at each other. Just outside of the window.

In a way, I was kinda relieved; all of this walking and laughing was making me kinda tired, so it was nice to sit down. There was a light bulb above us that lit up the cabin. Finally, we heard a "click." The sound was lifeless, but as soon as the door closed, I felt relieved for some reason.

The cabin lifted off of the ground as it swayed lightly from side to side. I watched the ground as we slowly went up. I realized that this would be a long ride; the ascension was taking a really long time. At points I thought that the ride had actually stopped, but it didn't. The only sound was the humming of the ride. I could have sworn that this looked faster from the outside.

We were probably only eight feet in the air when a minute passed. I wasn't sure if N was as bored as I was, but he certainly didn't look too happy.

I sighed and swallowed my pride. Awkwardness was better than silence. "So... Been on one of these before?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw N shake his head. "I've only seen them and heard of them. This isn't as exhilarating as I imagined it would be. I'm disappointed," he admitted.

I scoffed and leaned back in my seat, retracting myself from the window; there wasn't much of a sight. Yet, at least. "You and me both."

N followed from my example, reluctantly prying his eyes off of the window and sitting back.

Now we were forced to stare at each other.

_'Staring and silence? No.'_ I refused to accept that. I pursed my lips, trying to think of something to talk about. "So... How did you become the king of Team Plasma? Were you only crowned once you found Zekrom?" I felt myself smile, content at my choice of words; not only would this sever the silence, but I'd be finding out important info about Team Plasma at the same time. That is, if he would give me a straight answer.

"Ghetsis asked me to work with him to save Pokémon," he replied. N glanced to the side for a moment. After a few seconds he finally muttered, "I wonder how many Pokémon exist in this world..."

_'And now we're off topic again,'_ I thought, my eyes narrowing in annoyance. "How did Zekrom find you? Or did you find Zekrom?"

N didn't look like he wanted to comment on it.

_'Is it a secret?' _I thought, amused. _'Unfortunately, coercing him into telling me won't get me on his good side. I'm probably this close to having him shun me out, so not today.'_ After a few more seconds I asked, "Why doesn't anyone outside of Team Plasma know that you're their King? Or... At least up until you spread your influence." I made sure to choose my words carefully.

"The sages think that it's best to protect my identity so that during my pokemon journey, no one would threaten me with dirty tricks," he explained. "A lot of people seem to misunderstand Team Plasma's motives, but as to why I have yet to decipher."

_'Ironic. Team Plasma is known best for its dirty tricks,'_ I retorted in my mind. I let it go, though; no use in getting into fights now.

N looked over at the window again. When I followed his gaze, I was disappointed to see that we weren't even close to one fourth done with the ride. In fact, we weren't even much higher than when we actually started the ride. A long ride, indeed. In a somewhat defeated fashion, we simultaneously retracted our gazes from the window and were forced to look at each other once more.

I groaned in agitation. _'What else can I ask that he'd answer?'_ Fortunately, I didn't need to strain myself on thinking too much.

N decided to start the conversation this time. "I still don't know everything I need to know about you."

The question was odd enough, but by now, I was unfazed. N's speech pattern had become quite familiar to me by now, and I was endangered of being enveloped boredom. I shrugged. "So what do you need to know?"

It seemed like N wasn't expecting my compliance. His eyes looked down for a moment while he tried to come up with a question. He looked back at me when he was ready. "You set off on a pokemon journey, but what were you planning to do? Do you have a dream?" I noticed that his eyes drooped a little. Maybe he was tired from all of the walking, too.

"Yes. To be champion of Unova," I answered plainly. "Professor Juniper sent me out to fill up the pokedex, but... I kinda just ignored that part," I explained sheepishly. _'I don't feel guilty, though. I really was going to work on it after I defeated Alder.'_

"Champion, you say?" This seemed to interest and irk N at the same time. "Did you even get very far?"

"Well, I got all eight badges, if that counts," I offered with a shrug. "Unfortunately, I decided to visit my mother before I challenged the Pokemon League, and then Team Pla-" I cut myself off short when I realized just who I was talking to. _'I've been saying this a lot lately, but this time I'm sure; I'm dead.'_

To my surprise, N didn't seem the least bit angry at my proclamation. Instead, he only nodded. "That was actually the day that I defeated the Pokemon League," he commented.

It was almost as if he had some sort of psychic connection; we both looked out of the window again, curious of the ride's progress. To both of our dismays, it was not much higher than when we last looked out.

"This will most definitely be the longest amusement park ride I've ever been on," I commented dully as we both retreated back to our seats. "Is that all that you wanted to know?" I asked once we had eye contact again.

N shook his head. "Why did you decide to keep Zubat?"

"I didn't want to just leave him there," I explained. "He looked so... defeated," I continued while making a face. "I understand your point in liberation, but... Maybe some pokemon don't want to be liberated." I didn't regret one word I just said. _'I'm probably going to say something worse later on, so I might as well go all in.'_

N looked genuinely surprised. Perhaps no one ever spoke back to him in that way. He looked down, still somewhat shocked at my words.

I took the liberty of continuing my reasoning. "That Zubat was connected to his crummy trainer, for whatever reason, and perhaps the shock of losing such a connection all at once was... Er... Shocking." I pursed my lips at my inability to come up with a better word. "If Zubat wants to leave, I'll happily let him go, but I think he needed the comfort of another trainer. At least for a little while."

N finally looked up. "You... Who are you?"

"Who... Am I?" I echoed. I raised an eyebrow. _'What kind of question was that?'_

Suddenly, the Ferris wheel sped up at a ridiculous pace. N and I gasped in surprise as the humming turned into buzzing. The cabin was no longer swaying gently. Now, it was rocking back and forth violently as we both fell to the floor. There was a hollow sounding "bang" as a result of our impact. The floor felt just as cold and metallic as the sound it made did.

I had fallen towards N's seat. My stomach laid flat on the floor with my head just below N's seat. N was probably in the same position that I was, only facing the other way.

I attempted to sit up, but forgetting that N's seat was above me, I bumped my head, resulting in an echoing "ping." My eyes widened in surprise. "OW!" I exclaimed."Wh-What's going on?" I asked, stuttering due to the pain in my head. I barely even felt myself wincing.

"I... Don't know..." N's voice sounded raspy. Perhaps he hurt himself as well.

I started crawling to the window with much difficulty. With the Ferris wheel still ascending at such a great pace, it was hard to move at all. I latched my hands onto a small ledge by the window and propped myself up. I was still kneeling, but I could still see enough to know that we were almost at the pinnacle of the ride.

"Gah!" My eyes widened as a force shoved me back to the left; in a way, the Ferris wheel had changed direction. Instead of going up, it was now going left. "Oof..!" I exhaled sharply as my back hit the cold metal wall of the cabin. My eyes widened when I saw N flying in my direction, his back facing me. I reflexively held out my arms to stop him.

That proved to be pointless, for as soon as soon as I caught him in my grasp, the cabin violently slung back in the other direction, crashing us both into the wall opposite of the one we were just flung onto.

After that, it just kept violently rocking back and forth with N and I occasionally hitting each other. In a matter of seconds, the shaking turned into swaying; it was then that I realized that the ride stopped.

I rubbed my eyes even though they weren't squinted shut from the whole ordeal. I was sprawled on the floor, facing the direction I was facing earlier. N was also similarly effected. We both groaned as we sat up and crawled for the window. Both of us knelt up and peered over the ledge by the window.

"We... Made it to the top," I examined. I flinched when the "room" suddenly turned darker, or more precisely, duller.

The light bulb went out.

I was frozen in place. I couldn't stand up or even pry myself away from the scene.

There wasn't much of a scene, though. We saw the whole amusement park from this angle. N was enraptured, and I would've been too if we weren't up here because of a malfunction. Any moment now there could be another malfunction; the hinges could go loose, the ride could start up again and have us crash back down to the ground, or we could be stuck up here forever.

_'Just... Just think about happy things!' _I coaxed myself. My head hurt from the impact against the metal seat and my body ached from all of the random bruisings. _'Elesa helped build this, didn't she?! That means it's not likely to break!'_ My attempts at calming myself down were futile though.

Everyone looked like tiny dots, all gathered up in their respective circles. There was a person running through the stone path and circumventing circles. I was curious to see who it was, but it was impossible for anyone to be identified at such an altitude, though. _  
_

_'Okay... Okay..! So if we're stuck up here, we can use our pokemon to get down, right?!'_ Without prying my eyes away from the window, I reached for my bag.

N seemed to notice my movements as he turned his head to me. "What are you doing?"

"Er... I assumed that this Ferris wheel is prone to unhinge any time now, so I'm escaping," I explained, my eyes still frozen on the window. They didn't widen or shut at any time; it was as if I was possessed._  
_

"That's not a good idea," N rejected. "If anything, the added weight of our pokemon would unhinge us."

_'Oh shoot, he's right...'_ I realized as I defeatedly shoved my satchel away from me, my eyes still glued to the window. "Then what do you suggest we do? The Ferris wheel might break down any moment now."

"Somehow, I doubt that," N commented. "The cabins were swinging so violently earlier; if anything, the ride would've broke then, but it's been proven to be sturdy."

"Yet you say taking out our pokemon would break the thing with our weight and gravity, so you're saying... We should wait this out."

From the corner of my eye, I saw N nod.

_'Fine, but just for now. I'm going to be ruminating on some escape plans, if escape is possible.'_ I sighed and was finally able to duck away from the window. For whatever reason, I crawled to the nearest seat and sat down. I turned my head away from the window. "In any case, there are positives to this. You get all this time to memorize the layout around the gym."

"Positives? That means that you're implying that there's more than one," N corrected. "And this window is angled away from the gym. I won't see anything of use here," he claimed as he retreated back to the other vacant seat. I noticed that we both switched sides, with N on the right and me on the left, but N didn't seem to care.

_'Great, then we came up here for nothing,'_ I thought while inwardly sighing. Not willing to go into eternal silence, I decided to strike up another conversation. "So you can speak to pokemon... How did you get that ability?"

N hesitated before answering. "I was born with it."

"Do you know why?" I inquired. "I mean, is it genetic or something?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw N shake his head. "No." His answer was stiff. He said nothing more. He seemed like he was hiding something, but I decided not to pry. There were a few seconds of silence before N asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Hm?" My head shot up and now we were looking at each other again.

"You just seemed down."

"Oh, yeah..." I looked down into my lap this time. "This Ferris wheel can drop us at any moment now."

"I see. You're anticipating that there'll be another malfunction, but fatal this time?" N asked to clarify.

I nodded. _'Maybe I can fall asleep... That solves things, right?'_

"I was wondering," N began. "Have you seen why I must liberate pokemon yet?"

"A little... I'm not fully convinced, but I definitely do see why some pokemon should be liberated," I answered truthfully. I made a face upon remembering the overworked pokemon from Castelia City and the amusement park. _'That doesn't mean that all of them should be liberated, though... Right?'_

N looked neither impressed or bitter about my answer. He simply nodded with a thoughtful look on his face. There were a few more seconds of silence before N moved towards the window again. He stared down in a somewhat melancholic fashion. "Take a look."

I shifted in my seat and reluctantly got on my knees. I "walked" over to the window and peered over the ledge.

N looked down at me quizzically before not bothering to ask why I wasn't standing up.

_'Being by the window is giving me anxiety,' _I thought with a scowl. '_What is it exactly he wants me to see?'_

It didn't take me long to see that the population of people were going towards the exit of the amusement park. The crowds were thinning out into one giant mass. I noticed that most people weren't walking; they were jogging, as it seemed.

"No way..." I muttered. _'They're just going to leave us here..?' _My knees gave in and now I was sitting on my thighs. My eyes drifted up for a second and I noticed that the sky was now a darkish-blue. '_Oh man...' _I pushed myself away from the window and backed up to the other end of the Ferris wheel. I was scowling with a twitching frown. _'Does anyone even know that there are people up here?' _

N finally noticed my "absence." He glanced down and when he didn't see me turned his head around. He looked at me, confused.

"We're going to die," I stated plainly.

N still looked confused at my actions before turning around and sitting against the wall with the window in the same sitting position that I was. His feet hit the wall to my right and vice-versa.

"Are you sure you want to sit there?" I asked. "The window isn't as sturdy as the metal wall."

"I've noticed that you like to use the word 'die' a lot," N pointed out, ignoring my statement.

I shrugged. "I usually use the term jocosely, but this time I'm sure; we're going to die." I sighed. "I don't think they knew that people were up here. We aren't getting help."

"For someone who believes that she's going to die, you seem awfully calm about it."

I slid one of my knees up and leaned forward, resting my arm on my knee like an arm rest. I shrugged. "Well, I'd usually try to make futile escape attempts, just for the heck of it, but I'm not the only one in here." I looked to the side and away from the window. "Besides, I'm not a screamer or a crier. I don't give up either, but again, someone else is in here."

N nodded. "I wouldn't mind, if your plans weren't flawed."

_'Gee, thanks.'_ I didn't blame him though; this was his life. It was my life too... I thought that perhaps I was overshooting the problem, but I had almost died twice in the air. Third time's the charm. My head sunk a little as I turned my head completely to the left, only staring at the cold, hollow, metal seat before me. My eyes narrowed a little, whether it was the boredom or my drowsiness, I couldn't tell. "I don't suppose you have any bright ideas, do you?"

N didn't say a word. I could only assume that he was tuning me out. I didn't bother to check; I was not looking out the window.

There was a silence.

I sighed. _'Do I really think I'm going to die? Not really... But this time, it's different.'_ I tried rolling my eyes to the side; I wanted to look out the window and wanted to look away from it at the same time. "I guess we're just going to have to sit here until... Who knows when."

I thought that our conversation was over, but N spoke again, revealing that he was only thinking. "Fear is not a sign of weakness."

I froze. _'What a random thing to say...' _My eyes narrowed. "I've never been scared a day in my life," I retorted. "Well... I have, but nothing escalated to that of fear."

"I saw it in your eyes, I heard it in your tone of voice," driveled N. "I don't know you very well, but I know that you aren't acting like yourself."

That caught me off guard. _'What a weird guy,' _I thought in my head. I closed my eyes. I was getting tired; just plain sleepy and tired of this conversation. Despite the fact that I couldn't see anything, I still didn't turn my head back to the window.

"I believe you, what you said," N informed me. "You don't seem like the person to jump at every little thing. Perhaps you're acting like this because you haven't dealt with fear before, it's all new to you."

I pursed my lips. _'What's he going on_ _about..?' _Despite my thoughts, I actually found his words comforting, for whatever reason that was._  
_

"If my assumption is correct, the only other times where you've felt fearful was up in the air," N mused to himself. "Both of which you almost fell at an incredibly high distance."

_'Yup. Thanks for reminding me.' _I contemplated on whether I should get him off of the topic somehow, but I didn't really seem to care anymore. Perhaps letting him ramble on to himself would make him get bored of it, or something.

"Yet you looked content in Zubat's grip. I'm going to assume it was because someone was 'holding your hand.'" It was obviously a figure of speech.

I nodded ever so slightly. _'Why am I acting like this? Oh my gosh. Is this how Bianca feels half the time?'_ Normally I would've smiled at the joke I made, but I felt nothing.

"Tell me; both times you were riding on Archeops, your fear wasn't the height itself, but just falling off, right?"

"That's right..." I didn't get the point that N was trying to prove, but at this point, I was really interested in what he had to say; N never stayed on a topic for this long. I was surprised he wasn't rambling on about how the pokemon below were in pain earlier.

"But when you learned that I was right behind you, or that I was holding onto you, were you still fearful that you would fall?"

Now that. I wasn't expecting that. My eyes opened slightly. I had been caught off guard by a few simple words that probably meant nothing. _'Now that I think about it, no... I was just nervous because of how awkward that was.'_ I didn't voice my response, though. N was basically reading me like an open book. _'Crud... I am an open book, aren't I?'_

N waited to see if I would answer, but I didn't of course. I heard him shifting a bit. After a few seconds, it stopped. "In that case, I'll just stay right here."

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. The voice was coming from right next to me. I slid my leg back down as my arm fell onto my lap. My head was still ducked down as I looked to my right and saw N's lap. _'He turned around..?'_

If N was how I thought he was, he wasn't doing this out of kindness, not to say that he wasn't kind though. He was probably just stating the facts, but despite that, I was still rather thankful. In a way, he reminded me of Cheren.

_'It's a shame that he's the King of Team Plasma... If he wasn't, we might have been able to be good friends.' _I decided to change the topic; it was nice and all, but all too out of character for me. "I barely noticed earlier. It's night already... I guess you never got to scope out the gym, did you?" My voice sounded weary. I looked up at N, who was staring straight ahead.

N shook his head; he had apparently forgotten the reason why we came to Nimbasa in the first place, for he frowned. "In any case, I think this is something that you should see."

I reluctantly turned my head to look out the window. I found myself awed at the sight; at this angle, sitting down, and at such a high altitude, there was a whole new perspective of the sky. In the distance, there was a light splash of orange, and towards us it blurred into a mysterious purple. There were a lot more stars in the sky than there usually were.

When I looked over N, he too was enraptured by the sight. "I see constellations."

_'Well it is the sky.'_

"One of them... A symbol that represented the older brother's truth..." N continued to ramble on.

"Er... What are you talking about?"

"The myth regarding the two brothers and the main legendary trio of Unova," N explained.

"Oh yeah... I remember it vaguely."

"To put it short, the older brother sought truth while the younger brother sought ideals," N reviewed. "In the process, Zekrom and Reshiram split and sided with the brother of their representation, leaving behind a carcass."

"You have Zekrom, and he represents ideals," I clarified, "so then who represents truth?"

The side of N's mouth curled down. To say he was frowning was overstating it, but he seemed disappointed in a way. "I don't know," he admitted reluctantly. "Seeing that constellation reminded me about it. I was hoping that on my journey, I'd meet someone who represented the Truth... The Hero of Truth..." N mused to himself. "I wanted to put my ideals on the line and have a battle of the heroes, just to confirm whether or not my ideals were right."

_'So even his Highness over here has doubts of his abilities,'_ I thought, both amused and surprised.

"However, Reshiram hasn't picked a hero. That means that no one was worthy of being the Hero of Truth."

Normally, I would've found some way to shut him up, but I was finding his ramblings rather interesting this time around, even though it was mostly just him talking to himself.

"So as I am unopposed, so are my ideals," continued N, who closed his eyes. "Reshiram and Zekrom are both equal in power; on their own, their battle would end as a draw. However, the clashing of truth and ideals aren't the clashing of two halves of a whole; it's the strife between the heroes who behold them. That's why Reshiram and Zekrom will never fight unless they are under the guidance of whom they deem worthy. Only then can the fight be won by one."

I nodded. _'So if anyone is going to defeat N, it's going to be the Hero of Truth,'_ I realized. _'But first, how does one summon Reshiram? And who in Unova is worthy?'_ I pursed my lips. '_I'm going to have one heck of a wild goose chase, but it does sound like fun,'' _I admitted, an amused smile tugging at the side of my lip. _'Like a scavenger hunt.'_

"In any case, you can say that I'm disappointed," N finished. "Not one trainer was deemed worthy, and that fact alone makes me sad."

I nodded. _'He sure is open with his feelings,'_ I examined. _'Weeding out information from him'll probably be easy.' _Then I realized; he was sitting right next to me. We were close. Very close. I frowned. _'The awkwardness; it burns!'_

I heard a slight humming coming from below us; evidently, N heard it too as both of our heads moved in different directions, trying to find the source. The sound was followed by vibrations and swaying. The light turned back on. Albeit, it was dim, but it was on.

"We're... We're moving." I realized as I tensed in place. "We're going to die."

N looked at me. "I'm sure that's just the maintenance," he assured me. "We'll probably be getting down in a matter of time."

I gulped but nodded, my eyes not prying from the view of the stars that were _very _slowly exiting our field of vision. "Right..." I brought up my knee again and routinely rested my arm on it, followed by my head as I looked to the left. If N was right, all I had to do was wait it out. My eyes peeked at the window again and saw that the scenery was almost exactly the same. _'This... Is going to take long.'_

"I believe it's going even slower than it was earlier," N pointed out. There was something about his voice. It seemed duller than it usually was.

The humming and rocking of the cabin accompanied by the dim light was actually quite relaxing, not to mention the relief of not dying.

"Mhm..." I managed to hum as my eyes fluttered closed. _'There were positives, weren't there?'_

_"You two! Wake up! I'm sorry, but I'm on a tight schedule!"_

I heard something that resembled static.

_"No, Emolga," _the voice scolded. _"You two! Wake up!"_

Someone was stepping on metal. That person was getting closer.

_"H-Hilda..?"_ The voice was closer. _"WA_KE UP!"

I moaned, having been "roughly" waken up by my slumber. In fact, I felt like I didn't even fall asleep. My eyes fluttered open and I saw some bare feet standing by an entryway. My eyes shot open. "Oh my gosh... ARE WE ON THE GROUND?!" I jumped up from my sitting position and practically ran out of the door, circumventing whoever it was that was by the opening without giving him or her a glance.

I heard the sound of crashing metal, followed by a groan, but I didn't mind it.

"OH MY GOODNESS! WE'RE ALIVE!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air. No, I wasn't really that surprised or dramatic, but it sure was fun pretending it was. My mood was awfully bright in contrast to the pitch-black sky. I looked, but no stars were visible."Who is my barefooted savior?!" I asked as I spun around, a giant smile on my face.

Elesa was standing before me, the dim light from inside the cabin illuminating her form. She had an eyebrow raised in confusion but looked more or less amused. The light died down until the bulb burned out, sinking us back in the darkness. The humming stopped too, not too soon after.

Darkness and silence.

"Thank you! I thought we were going to die!" I exclaimed as I joyously scurried up to her. "Elesa, you're-! You're... Not wearing shoes," I realized, cutting myself off as my eyes drifted down to her feet.

N was also standing up next to her, but he seemed to be in a daze. His hand was held to his head.

"Don't mind that," she demanded somewhat irritably, causing me to shoot my head back up. "What were you doing in there? You know what? Never mind that." Elesa glanced to the side as she burrowed through her pockets with a free hand, eventually coming up with two pokeballs. She held them up and a red light illuminated the three of our faces. At first I thought that she was summoning pokemon, but evidently, she was returning them.

I didn't bother to question it. Elesa always had a serious look on her face, but this time it seemed... Different. I didn't dare interrupt whatever she needed to say.

She took a glance at N to assure him that he too was being addressed, but it was I that she looked dead in the eye.

_'Something's seriously up,'_ I realized as all of the silliness from but a few seconds ago eroded; there was no sign of humor on my face.

"Team Plasma won over Castelia City."

* * *

**How to Hide a Conspiracy : End**

* * *

"I guarantee a quick update." (2 weeks and a day later) Hahaha... I'm sorry guys, I'm a liar. Never take my word for it. Some things came up, but that's not really an excuse.

"I think this is going to become a thing now : This is the worst chapter so far." Well... At least one thing isn't a lie. Yes, I dislike this chapter. Rushed, corny, etc. You know, the usual gripes. I didn't want to make Hilda invincible, because it seemed like she was, and every character has a weakness, so that's that but... Man, I really shouldn't be writing in the romance genre XD (So here's a vote : Rewrite chapter or just continue on?) How many of you guys actually read the author's notes? XD

"I'm currently planning on solely dedicating it to building up their friendship[...]" I did not do that, did I?

"[...]it's going to be filled with only N/Hilda stuffs." -Facepalm-

By the way, that whole festival thing and Ferris wheel getting stuck, trust me, I did not make those happen just to build up the friendship/romance. There actually is a point to them.

Next chapter may be short or may be long, I don't know yet. It will not be in Hilda's POV. I don't know how many POV's I'll make next chapter, but I'll definitely have Elesa there.

But still. I still really hate this chapter. Like I said, festival had a reason, but it still feels so forced and rushed... So does the Ferris wheel scene.

Oh, and Hilbert doesn't show up just for no reason. (Just putting that out there...)

But seriously, tell me whether I should re-write it or not. Because it's a poll.

Speaking of polls, who do you see as the main protagonist of BW2? Nate or Rosa? So far, Rosa has all of the votes, 2 votes btw, but 6 of you reviewed,so the 4 people that didn't vote can all vote Nate if you all think it's Nate.

And finally, there was no break between Hilda falling asleep and Elesa waking her up because to Hilda, it didn't feel like a time skip. It felt like she just blinked. Ever get that feeling?

Oh, and Team Plasma winning in Castelia City despite being severely outnumbered? That will also be explained.

* * *

arkee : I know, right? But if she did get a break, that would be no fun, haha. Thanks for reading, reviewing, and following.

KawaiiJoltic : Love that feeling. And somehow, I doubt mine was your favorite (but if it was, it isn't anymore, LOL). And actually, when I had N stay with Hilda, I did not have shipping in mind until you pointed it out. Then I thought, "Oh my, people are going to misinterpret that," haha. There's actually a reason for this happening. And honestly, you don't know how hard I laughed at the "(tm)" you put after "Hilda's Poetic Sky Rant." And it may or may not happen (Hilda lashing out). As you've seen, I don't always like to give a straight answer. And yes, torcher's gone now. Makes writing a lot easier (but evidently, not faster ._.) And trust me, I would read your story, but I'm kinda short on free time at the moment, hence the long update, but I'll probably read it once this blows over. And still... Doctor Who = Too many seasons. I don't have the attention span required, unfortunately. And it's fine, I always enjoy lengthier reviews more. Thanks for reading and reviewing as always though. And seriously, I better not see a thank you in your next review (that is, if you are going to review)

DigimonLoveForever : Unfortunately, this one is even more confusing. (Insert sigh here) And I'm sorry, but you turned on your Ferriswheelshipping mode on for no reason =/ I didn't do what one would call a "good job," so... Yeah. Well, I'm going to rewrite this one if enough people request it. Thanks for the review.

Jestie Uchiha : I'm glad you enjoyed it, because I certainly didn't. And she will learn that her friends are safe, but only in due time =P Even if she does learn, at this point, her mother is concerned in it too. And I'm sorry, I made you wait so long for this chapter and the fluff wasn't even good D= I'll try to update faster, but I've learned from last chapter : No more promises. But thanks for the feedback, it is very well appreciated.

Coclea : Thanks. And if you hadn't told me that English wasn't your main language, I never would've guessed. It's good to know that someone (that isn't me) likes this concept. As for Reshiram? You'll just have to wait. I don't usually give straight answers unfortunately. Thanks for taking the time to review.

Javalorena : Thanks, especially considering that you don't usually leave reviews. And three days? You deserve an extra "thank you" for that. As for the developement... It's kinda going downhill, as you can see. Sorry this chapter came so late =/ And in all honesty, if you hadn't told me that English wasn't your first language, I never would've guessed.


	19. Is There Such a Thing Called Truth?

**Chapter 19 : Is There Such a Thing Called "Truth"?**

* * *

_Elesa_

* * *

I was in a bad mood.

My colleague, though her intentions were only in my best interest, had interrupted me when I was learning crucial information about Team Plasma. It was my fault though; I was the one who asked for her assistance and I asked Hilda to tell me everything from the beginning.

She was ushering me through the windy Route 4. Sand hit me in the face within every second, threatening my flawless skin. My colleague on the other hand was using me as somewhat as a human shield, stiffly slinking behind me. It was times like this where I was grateful that I had short hair; I couldn't imagine just how frizzy my hair would've gotten if it had been longer.

"When did Skyla arrive?" I asked. We were already close to the route house and we'd be back in Nimbasa City in no time, but making Skyla wait for something was never a good idea.

"A long time ago!" my frantic friend replied. "The others have been stalling her for a while, but-!"

"ElesaaaAAAAAA!" a high voice writhed.

My head shot in the direction of the voice; I could only assume that my friend here had done the same. I clenched my teeth. _'Not good...'_

Skyla was charging towards me head first, her giant gloved arms behind her like a ninja. She was fuming with rage. She was still screaming by the time she swung her arms forward to tackle me.

I swiftly stepped out of the way. _'Phew...'_

I saw Skyla's eyes go wide as she tackled my colleague.

I smirked. _'And that's why you shouldn't use me as a human shield.'_

"GaaaaaaaOWW!" Skyla screeched as she tackled into my unsuspecting friend and they both collapsed to the ground, Skyla on top.

"AII! Get off of me!" my colleague cried as she helplessly waved her hands in random directions. "My hair..! My clothes! Get OFF!"

Skyla sat up but was still crushing my friend. She looked up at me and scowled. "That wasn't nice!" she sneered.

"Neither is trying to tackle me to the ground," I pointed out lazily. "Especially while I was training my precious pokemon."

"Gaaaah!" Skyla screeched as she jumped up, her giant boots just missing stepping on my exhausted friend's leg. "You! You're impossible, girl! I know you weren't training out here... What were you thinking?" she asked with desperation. Her mood changed from angry to sad in mere seconds. "Why would you go to Castelia City..? You know we weren't supposed to!"

I sighed and turned away. "Skyla... I know that even you aren't comfortable with staying idle."

Skyla pouted, but she nodded in agreement. "But Elesa... You'll lose your gym!"

"Nobody recognized me," I informed her, "except for one trainer." I put up a submissive hand when I saw that her eyes grew with concern. "It's alright, she'll keep her mouth shut."

"H-How do you know?" Skyla pried. "I really don't want anything to happen to you, and over something so trivial!"

"Because that trainer wasn't supposed to be there either," I explained.

Skyla blinked. "Who was it?"

"I don't know if you've met her, but she's a trainer named Hilda," I answered. "If it helps, she wears a red and white hat. Well... It's pink now because it faded from so much use, but..."

Skyla grew a smile. "Oh, I know her!"

"Skyla, are you alright?" I asked. "Your mood is jumping all over the place. One minute your angry, and now you're excited off of your seat... Or since you're not sitting, your over sized boots and gloves."

Skyla pouted. "You can't blame me for being concerned."

I opened my mouth to speak, but I felt a really tight grip on my shoulder. I turned my head to the source; my colleague was standing there, her hair like a bird's nest. "Hm..?"

"Elesa! Were you even listening?" she demanded somewhat angrily.

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry... Did you say something?" I had apparently been too engrossed with Skyla to notice.

She looked at me and scowled. "Hmph!" She retracted her hand and crossed her arms, looking at me with expectancy.

"..." I didn't know what to say. "Am I needed for anything else?"

"Elesa, you're making it really hard to help you!" she claimed, pouting.

"I'm sorry," I apologized as I turned to face her, "but it's not every day when us gym leaders have the time to see each other, especially with my side hobbies."

My model friend's face softened as she sighed. "I suppose... Is there anything else you need assistance with?" she asked with an apologetic tone.

"Yes, actually," I admitted. "If you can help me compose an idea to distract everybody in the city, that would be fantastic. If everyone is busy, my presence wouldn't be as sought out."

My friend looked happy that I had forgiven her, despite the fact that she had nothing to be sorry for. "Of course! I'll start thinking right away!" With that, she strutted away somewhat smugly.

"Elesa... Don't tell me, you're planning to go back?!"

I turned back to Skyla who, despite her rejecting tone, had a face of pleading. I gave a sharp nod. "I have to. I didn't get to battle at all. If I had, my face would've been seen, but... Someone needs to check up on Burgh. If he wasn't in the City, I'm sure he would've contacted one of us by now."

Skyla finally gave in and gave a nod of her own. "I understand... I want to help too, you know..."

I shook my head. "One gym leader in the city is risky enough, but when people see both of our faces together, it'll be much too obvious."

"Right, right..." Skyla succumbed. "You got dibs."

"Though there may be some other way you can help," I informed her.

Skyla's eyes lit up but her facial features remained serious. "What is it?"

"Hilda told me some interesting bits of information."

"Mhm, mhm!" Skyla nodded, urging me to go on.

"With this conflict going on in the city, most, if not all, of Team Plasma's attention will be there," I explained. "Hilda told me that Team Plasma already took over various cities."

Skyla's mouth went agape in surprise, but her eyes only narrowed. She seemed conflicted on how to feel about that; surprised or threatened?

"Can you check up on Lenora and the Striaton Brothers?" I asked. "I couldn't do it, even if I didn't have my hands full already," I admitted. "You have the flying type pokemon... Try to get them out of this situation so that we can all strike at once. Together."

Skyla smiled and gave me a nod as she reached for a pokeball on her belt.

* * *

_Skyla_

* * *

"You got it!" I assured her as I unclipped Braviary from my belt. None of my pokemon knew fly and Braviary was probably the only one of them that could carry more than one person for large intervals of time.

Elesa wasn't the peppiest of my friends, but even I knew that her demeanor was way too serious, despite her profession as a model. She was either being brought down by this whole ordeal, or she was more serious about this than anything.

"I'll bring them back, and if Team Plasma tries to stop me... I'll attack!" I replied, determined. "But first... You shouldn't go back to the city today."

Elesa narrowed her eyes. "Why?" she challenged me to answer.

"A lot of people were looking for you," I told her. "The gym was pretty crowded when I came to look for you, too."

Elesa looked disappointed and gave me a faint nod. "Thanks..."

I smiled as if to say, "No problem!"

"Mind me asking, but why did you visit?" Elesa held up a hand, assuring me that she didn't mind at all and that she was only curious.

"Nimbasa City is so close to Castelia City... I was worried about your well being! And the city's, of course." I pursed my lips. "You know, you never know if Team Plasma's just using Castelia City as a distraction for something much greater."

"You do have a point," Elesa admitted, "but I don't think that's what Team Plasma had in mind."

I cocked my head with a blank look, urging her to explain.

Elesa sighed, but seemingly to herself. "When I was in the city, it started off as an equal fight, but then more and more volunteers started coming in. Team Plasma is severely outnumbered."

"But isn't that a _good _thing?" I was confused as to why Elesa would refer to it so depressingly.

"It should be, but Team Plasma showed no signs of falling back," Elesa continued. "I fear that their King has something planned."

"Their... _King_?" I asked, unsure if I heard that right. _'What leader calls himself a King?'_

"That's the word that Hilda used to describe him," Elesa confirmed with a tired shrug. "Speaking of her... I should be getting back to the gym. Hilda will visit any time soon and as you said, I have a lot of challengers."

"Want me to fly you back?" I offered.

Elesa shook her head, her left eye twitching closed when some sand blew into it. "No. Please, make the others your priority."

_'Oh! I forgot about them already?' _I thought guiltily. "Uhuh. I will, Elesa." I turned away and threw up my pokeball in the air. "Braviary! To Nacrene City!"

Braviary materialized before me and let out a mighty squawk. He flared his wings and knelt down, waiting for me to get on him.

* * *

When I arrived in Nacrene City, I didn't see anyone in a Team Plasma outfit.

_'Is Elesa sure that this place is conquered by Team Plasma..?'_ I didn't like that I was doubting my friend, but everything seemed normal.

When I landed, everyone's heads snapped to me, all looking surprised.

I shrunk back a little but gave a timid wave. "Uh... Hiya?"

"It's the Mistralton gym leader!"

"She has a pokemon!"

People were belting out all sorts of expressions of surprise as they all encircled around Braviary and I.

"Er... Braviary, return!" I commanded as I held up his pokeball and resummoned him. "What's up, guys? Is there something on my face?"

One person from the crowd finally emerged. "You have to get out of here! Team Plasma's going to take your pokemon!" he claimed.

I frowned. _'So Team Plasma actually was here...'_ I looked both ways, standing on my toes to look over the small crowd around me, holding a hand to my forehead to block out the blinding sunlight. "I don't see any of them, though."

"That doesn't mean that they won't come back!" he claimed frantically. "If you think you can win against them, you can't... They ganged up on Lenora wi-"

"Oh my gosh, Lenora!" I screeched as I shoved past the crowd and started running for my life, even though I was in no danger. _'I forgot! Again!'_

People gave me funny looks as I bolted past them, but I didn't pay any heed to them. My goal was the gym.

I skidded to a halt when I finally reached it, a large smile plastered on my face. "Lenooooraaaa!" I trilled, cupping my hands over my mouth. "Come on out! I'm going to help you!"

There was no response.

I frowned. "Leeenoora!" I belted louder. I knew it was probably hard to hear a screaming person through those bulky gym doors, but hey, how many people would actually be in the gym at this time? "LENORAAAAAAA!" I huffed when I still got no answer, so I marched up the steps.

The door barely made a noise when I opened it. There wasn't much light coming from inside of the gym.

I peeped my head in and directed my eyes both ways. _'It's been a while since I was in here.' _I opened the door fully and let myself in. I closed it behind me and looked forward, only to gasp.

The museum was completely empty.

From what I could see, anyway. "Wooah... What happened?!" I murmured to myself as I took a few more timid steps into the gym. I felt like I wasn't supposed to be here.

I heard a slight buzzing coming from behind one of the counters. When I looked to my right, there was an ominous blue light coming from in it.

I gulped. _'What's going on here? This is super weird!' _I hopped over the counter and landed rather sloppily, but my giant cushiony boots propped me up without a sound. I crept over to the doorway, which haha, had no door, and placed my hands on the rim, peeping my head through.

Lenora was crouching down by something, but I couldn't see what; her back was to me. In her hand was something that looked like a blowtorch, but blowtorches don't glow blue, so it was something else.

Seeing that nothing bad was going on, I relieved by cautious grip on the doorway and straightened my posture, taking a leisurely walk into the back room. I crept up behind Lenora, who didn't seem to notice. I looked over her shoulder.

She was holding a shiny white rock that looked way too smooth to be natural.

"Oooh, pretty..."

Lenora almost dropped the tool in her hand; it was evident then that she didn't know I was there. She whipped around, looking at me with ire. When she saw that it was only me, she visibly calmed down and even smiled.

"So, what's that?" I asked, pointing at the stone still in her hands.

"It's... One of the few pieces of my exhibit that Team Plasma hasn't taken," she told me as she set it in a box next to her. "Team Plasma didn't check my storerooms when they took everything from my exhibit."

"Oh, so then you're really lucky!" I looked around the room and saw all kinds of machines. "Wooah... So is this where you restore all of those fossils? Oh! Was that stone a fossil?"

"You can say that..."

"You were trying to resurrect it, weren't you?" I asked, turning back to face Lenora who was now standing up.

Lenora nodded. "Yes, but this one is special."

She piqued my interest. "How so?" I asked, cocking my head in confusion. "It looks like just a normal rock to me."

"I'll... Tell you eventually," she promised.

I nodded, deciding to take her word for it.

"So what are you doing here, Skyla?" she asked leisurely.

"I'm here to bust you out of the city!" I claimed proudly.

Lenora smiled. "That's nice and all, but with Team Plasma scampering around the city, they're bound to see me. I was put under 'house arrest.'"

"On my way here, I didn't see a single grunt!" I assured her. "I think they're all fighting in the war!"

"War?!" Lenora's eyes widened. It was evident then that Team Plasma's conquered cities knew nothing about Castelia.

"Well... It's not an _actual _war, but it feels like it," I claimed with a shrug. "You know, in Castelia City?"

Lenora shook her head, urging me to explain. "I knew that Team Plasma took over Castelia City, but I heard no such thing as a 'war' going on."

"Well, Team Plasma took over Castelia City. The noise was so loud that Elesa noticed it, all the way over in Nimbasa City!" I explained. "So Elesa went over to check on everything, and to her surprise, Team Plasma took over the city!"

Lenora nodded with a somewhat bored look on her face. She knew this much; that much was obvious.

I made hand gestures to go along with my speech. "Anyways, Elesa warned Clay, who warned _me_, who warned Bruce, who warned Drayden, who warned-"

"Skyla... You're rambling on." Lenora gave me an apologetic look despite her harsh tone.

"Well... Alder found out eventually, in a matter of hours," I claimed. "Then, he went on TV, well, not directly, he kinda wrote out a message that someone else read, and he asked for volunteers to go help and drive Team Plasma out of the city."

"So you mean to tell me that they only _just _found out about Team Plasma's conquest?" she asked, somewhat disappointed.

"Mhm!" I nodded. I realized that Lenora might have been contained here for a while. A _long _while. "Oh... Sorry." I flashed her an apologetic smile and shrugged.

Lenora simply nodded. "I see... Well, it wasn't your fault."

I was starting to feel down and pretty guilty. "Well... In any case, I'm here to fly you out!" I claimed, pumping up a fist to try and get her good mood back. "So, let's gooo!"

She smiled, but it was more of a sorry smile. "I'm sorry, Skyla, but I'm not going with you," Lenora claimed.

"Wh-What? But why not?!" I asked, somewhat desperately. "Don't tell me that you _want _to be confined in here for the rest of your life..!"

Lenora gave a hearty laugh. "No, no. It's not that," she assured me while patting me on the shoulder. "Like I said, Team Plasma didn't take my whole exhibit. I want to protect what's left of it. That rock wasn't the only thing Team Plasma left behind."

I looked at her with admiration and gave her a nod. "I understand, but please reconsider; we're winning in Castelia City, and it's only a matter of time until Team Plasma will fall back _here_."

Lenora nodded, confirming her request. "Yes, I'm sure. Even when that does happen, it'll only be a matter of time until you run them out of Nacrene City, but I am truly grateful that you came here for me."

I nodded. "Any time. I wouldn't just leave you hanging!"

Lenora chuckled. "No, I guess you wouldn't."

* * *

_Elesa_

* * *

"I'll never be a great trainer..." the losing challenger muttered to himself, his head down.

"Now don't say that," I scolded. "I won this time, but who's to say that won't change the next time around?"

"But I didn't even take down one of your pokemon!" he retorted.

"To give you credit, I did use volt switch," I offered him. "And if you weren't a great trainer, how did you beat all of these other challengers with only one pokemon in your arsenal?" I asked, gesturing to different crowded platforms of the gym.

That seemed to lift his mood. It was a timid, but he wore a smile.

"I'll be waiting right here for you to challenge me again, when you're ready of course," I assured him.

His timid smile grew into a determined one. "Right! And next time, I'm going to take you down!"

I chuckled. "We'll see."

He gave me a nod and then ran off in the direction of the car to my right which would lead back to the entrance; it was the only car that didn't have a dozen or so trainers fighting to board it.

I sighed. _'Why are there so many trainers today?' _I wondered as I grabbed two full restores from my pocket and sprayed them on my pokeballs. _'Is everyone inspired to fight because of the conflict in Castelia City?' _That alone was inspiring, but tiring for me. I had faced at least a dozen rookie trainers without giving a single badge away.

"Elesa! I've got it!" a voice claimed from behind me.

I whipped around; my colleague had come up. "You have an idea?" I asked hopefully.

She nodded, proud of herself. "Albeit, it wasn't _my _idea; I bumped into someone when I was running past a corner. He came out of no where! We got talking, and he gave me the greatest idea."

"That's great! What is i-?" I was about to ask, but my eyes drifted to her shoulder.

"Elesa, is something wrong?" she asked, befuddled.

I extended my arm to her shoulder. She watched me curiously as I picked a hair from her shoulder and dangled it in front of her face. "You have a white hair."

She looked horrified. "Oh my! Oh no! That's not possible!" she fretted as she ran a hand through her bizarre hair style. Suddenly, she calmed down. "Oh, no. This must be his."

I raised an eyebrow but nodded. "So what's this idea he gave you?"

"Throw a festival!" she suggested as if it was some kind of panacea.

I put a look of doubt on my face and placed a hand on my hip, urging her to explain.

"No, really!" she urged me. "Think about it; in this way, you'll be compiling everyone into the amusement park."

"Uhuh..." I mused, catching on. "There wouldn't be a soul outside of this place. If I disappear, I could use the excuse, 'I was enjoying myself at various activities.'"

"Yes, that's it!" my friend claimed as she nodded excitedly. I had a feeling that she herself just wanted a festival to happen.

"But this is coming out of no where," I reminded her. "Why would I throw a festival in the middle of a war-like conflict?"

She gave me a smug smile. "This part I came up with myself," she claimed. "Young trainers aren't allowed in the city, correct? So they must be rather disappointed. The festival is here to lift their moods from the downgrading feel of a 'war' in Castelia City!"

"Ah," I mused. "That makes sense. Somewhat of a theme of 'unity.'" Not only was this idea good for me, but it was good for the spirit of the city. I nodded to her but then turned around. "Alright, but my next challenger is almost here," I claimed as I spotted an approaching roller coaster car. "I'd have no time to arrange this festival with this many challengers," I claimed, gesturing to the boarded platforms.

"Oh, I see..." she commented sadly. She must have really wanted this festival. "Well, no matter! Perhaps you can bring the people of Nimbasa City to arrange it together!"

I turned back to her and nodded with a smile. "Yes... That sounds divine. Have everyone work together; it fits the theme. I'll get started on it soon, but you have to go. My next challenger is here," I claimed, turning back to the sassy looking trainer girl who emerged from the newly arrived car.

"Elesa, I'm going to take you down!" she claimed, pointing to me.

_'Oh yes, I bet you will.'_

* * *

I sighed with relief as I closed the gym doors. Finally, everything was done. I dealt with all of my challengers, canceled all of my gigs, and got a well amount of people to arrange this whole festival for me. The only downside was that Hilda didn't come to tell me the rest of her story; I could only assume that she was caught, but she didn't seem like the person who would be. All I had to do was wait until tomorrow.

I heard a bird pokemon make a noise as I whipped around and looked for the source. _'Skyla...'_ I identified her when I saw that it was a Braviary. While it was somewhat dark out, I could still make out the shape.

Braviary landed gracefully before me, only a few feet away. His swift landing made a gentle breeze as Skyla hopped off of him.

"Braviary, return!" she commanded as Braviary dissolved into a red light. She giggled as she looked at me with a smug smile.

"So where are they?" I asked her. "Where's Lenora and the others?"

Skyla scratched the back of her head and gave me a sheepish smile. "Ha ha... About that, they didn't want to leave."

I looked at her disbelievingly. "Are you sure?" I asked, unconvinced.

Skyla stubbornly nodded her head, somewhat offended that I wouldn't believe her. "Lenora wanted to protect her gym and the Triple Troubles apparently had an ally with them that they didn't want to leave behind," she claimed. "Oh, and there are also other people under house arrest with them."

I pursed my lips but nodded. "Alright..."

"On the bright side, I _did _help some people out of there," she offered, holding out her hands as if a compliment was a tangible object.

"But no gym leaders?" I asked with an eyebrow raised.

Skyla sulked. "Nope."

I sighed. "Oh well... In any case, I have a plan set up so that I can go back to Castelia City."

"You're really going through with this, aren't you?" asked Skyla in a defeated tone.

I adamantly nodded my head. "The well being of a city is more important than a gym badge."

"Then I'm going with you!" Skyla pushed.

"As much as I'd like that, I'm going to have to deny your request," I told her. "One gym leader is risky enough. Both of our faces together is-"

"I know that!" Skyla snapped. "You told me that earlier! I can understand words, you know!" she claimed, someone irritated. "And you do have no control over me, Elesa."

I bowed my head. "I suppose it was unfair of me to ask you to stay behind..."

"Why are you so dead set on going alone?"

"I'd like to risk only one person losing her gym licence," I answered after a thoughtful pause. "Tell me, would you still go if I wasn't?"

She went silent. She blankly shook her head.

"You're going for my safety, but I would never forgive myself if you couldn't be a gym leader anymore due to me."

She turned away. "Whatever," she said tiredly with a shrug.

I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. I was pushing her away, and that had offended her.

"I'll be going back to my place now..." Skyla declared as she walked off.

* * *

After a good night's rest, everyone showed up at the amusement park. Everyone left in Nimbasa City, that is. I got a small look inside the tents and was a bit disappointed that I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself here. Some people even started doing little pokemon tricks by the walkways. I'd stay, but there were more important things.

At the moment, I was giving some speech about unity. Unfortunately, I was too conflicted to even know what I was saying out loud until the very end.

"So the gym is open for everyone to ride the roller coaster," I declared to the happy youths smiling up at me. "Everyone, please enjoy yourselves!"

The crowd erupted into cheering as it happily dispersed.

I sighed with relief. _'Now all that's left is going to Castelia City.' _I jumped down from the bench I was standing on for a makeshift stage, almost tripping when my heel didn't land properly. I hissed at my painful ankle but the pain quickly dissolved.

I lost myself in the crowd and headed towards the exit. Thankfully, no one saw me leave. The rest of the city was quiet and deserted. All noise came from the amusement park. It felt a little odd to see such a life-filled place seem so... Dead.

The only noise for a while was the sound of my heels hitting concrete, save for the cheering some distance away of course. I suppose that the feeling of desertion was so new to me that I started making a melody in my head. I envisioned a beautiful voice, but the melody was something I've never heard before. It was faint from the back of my head. At times I even lost it, but in the end, I'd hear it.

Even as I entered Route 4, I could still hear the screams of excitement from the amusement park, the wind and sand whistling through my ears, and that riveting melody, but I noticed the ominous absence of something.

Has Castelia City gone silent? If anything, it was only dying down, but still.

I narrowed my eyes. _'That's impossible... Perhaps I'm mistaking the amusement park for the city,'_ I reasoned with myself. I didn't give it a second thought, but I did quicken my pace.

I finally reached the route house and finally heard the commotion going on in Castelia City. The song in my head got louder. It was rather soothing, actually.

_'But... Why would I be thinking of a song?'_ I wondered. '_Let alone one I've never heard before...'_

As I opened the doors of the route house leading into the city, everyone's muffled yelling turned clear to my ears, but then it occurred to me that I wasn't mistaking it earlier; not as many people were yelling, and there wasn't as much crashing sounds from pokemon attacks. This wasn't to say that it wasn't loud, because it was, but it just wasn't as loud as before. You could hear the commotion all the way in Nimbasa City yesterday, but now, it just seemed like a normal day in Castelia.

I finally got a good look at the street before me. It was crowded, but...

"Everyone's... Sleeping?" I muttered to myself in disbelief.

The melody my mind was creating stopped for an abrupt moment. Not too soon after, it started up again. It then occurred to me that it wasn't my mind creating it. It was happening. It was soothing, drowning out all of the yelling; it was still there, but...

I was starting to feel drowsy.

* * *

_Skyla_

* * *

I walked through the route house doors leading into Castelia City; Elesa didn't know it, but I had camped out on the roof of her gym last night.

It was still relatively early, with an orange sky and whatnot. The fighting was still going on, though. Even last night, I could hear it all the way from my campsite, though faintly. The battling had gotten more intense with the increasing number of volunteers.

I was treated with the sight of endless battles on this street. Everything was just a jumbled mess; I could barely hear myself think. I could only wonder if these people got any sleep, or how they weren't deaf yet.

I almost ran back through the doors right then and there; I hadn't been expecting Castelia City to have this much fighting. Though I did see a lot of Team Plasma grunts, regular people outnumbered them severely. It was a wonder how anyone could get any battling done when each step was in someone's elbow room. I looked up at the sky to avoid all of... This.

I blindly walked about, shoving my way through who knows what. I screamed, only to be drowned out by everything else, when my leg started to burn; I looked down to see a few scratches. There was a leaf embedded in my skin for a second until I saw it disappear into sparkles which also disappeared.

I winced and hissed. _'This won't do...'_ I decided as I reached for my pokemon belt. "Braviary, fly me up to one of the roofs!" I commanded as I held up my pokeball to the sky. It was a wonder that he even heard me over all of this.

Braviary flared his wings in front of the still rising sun and dove down to me. He clenched my extended hand reaching out of the crowd with his talons and whisked me up into the air. He used a grip so crushing that if I didn't have these gloves on, I'm sure he would've ripped right through my skin.

Being airborne was so fun, but the noise below was seriously killing the mood. It took a good ten seconds for Braviary to scale up a skyscraper, even with his super speed. He dropped me and I landed gracefully as he perched himself by the edge and overlooked the street I just escaped.

"Braviary, I think coming here was a mistake..." I admitted. "I don't think I'm going to get to do much..."

Braviary squawked in disagreement. He looked at me with that determined stare.

I smiled. "You're right! I can do something! Team Plasma has to have a headquarters around here somewhere!" I held my hand to my forehead to block out the sun and started scoping out the rooftops. "I don't know which way to go, though... I haven't been in Castelia City too many times." I shook my head to myself and smiled. "No matter! I'll just do rooftop hopping! That's a thing, right?"

Braviary bowed his head in embarrassment as he stepped down from the ledge. He knelt down, waiting for me to board him.

I hopped onto him back, much to his dismay. "I choose... That one!" I claimed, pointing a finger in a random direction. I looked down and saw a colorful mess of people and pokemon battling. The scene only lasted for about two seconds as I landed on another rooftop. I pursed my lips. "You know what, Braviary? Just keep going. I'd much more prefer to just look down and observe everything from an aerial view."

Braviary nodded as he took off into the air.

I continued to just sit there and watch the ground below me change from street to ceiling. In actuality, I was looking for Burgh's gym, but again, I've never been in Castelia City too many times.

This went on for a really long time. By the time that I finally saw a street that seemed off, the sun was risen. Compared to every other street, it was pretty spacious. There was also a suspicious absence of pokemon and flamboyant attacks.

"Wait!" I commanded Braviary as he landed on the next ceiling. "Can you hover over this street here?" I asked, pointing to the said street.

Braviary flared his wings as he took off, this time staying airborne.

When I looked down at the street, I only saw white-hooded people whom I realized were Team Plasma. Unlike the other streets we passed, I could actually see the concrete street, as opposed to just specks of it mixed in with the heads of people and pokemon.

Suddenly, every white head on this street scurried into one building; it took a good minute though. The street became suspiciously empty.

I frowned. "I wonder what's up..." I craned my neck to look at Braviary in the eye. "Do you think I should check it out?"

Braviary stubbornly shook his head as he landed on a random rooftop across from us.

"Yeah... I guess you're right," I admitted with my eyes narrowed in annoyance. "If that's their headquarters, I'll stick out like a sore thumb..." I blew out a strand of hair from my face. "But then now what? Then I came here for no reason." I leaned down by the edge of the building, my eyes darting around to look for something. They stopped as soon as they saw the official gym insignia. "Hey, Braviary! Burgh's gym!"

Braviary's head shot in the direction of my pointed finger. He turned to me, asking me for my orders.

"I think we should-"

I was cut off by the sound of a voice. It was singing.

I smiled. "Hey, that sounds kinda nice," I admitted, my eyes closing to indulge myself.

The voice sounded near, but far at the same time. The melody was echoing in my head, even as it was sung. It wasn't words, though. But who would sing during this kind of war-like thing going on? And how could I hear it so clearly with everyone screaming? It only lasted a few seconds or so, but it was still nice.

I opened my eyes when it stopped. "Well, that was nice. What a great change in pace." I turned to Braviary, who was cringing and holding up a wing to his head. "Hey, what's wrong?"

The song suddenly started again, causing Braviary to grunt in pain and clench his eyes shut.

"Is... Is the song hurting you?" I asked unsurely.

He opened one squinting eye and nodded.

I clenched my teeth. _'How could such a beautiful melody be hurtful?'_ I wondered. I shook my head. "Alright, let's get you out of here," I commanded as I hopped on his back. "Don't land until we're out of range."

Braviary nodded as he took off into the sky; despite his attempts at seeming unfazed, we did drop once or twice before he caught himself.

After about three minutes of the song stopping and starting, I finally gave up. "Braviary, just land... You're exhausted." I then listened hard to the song. "Plus... I think we're getting closer to the source."

Braviary didn't fight back as we both roughly landed on the closest rooftop. He looked at me, somewhat desperately. He was still taking damage from the singing.

"Do you think that this is a pokemon attack?" I asked him.

He nodded. He wore a rueful stare directed at the unknown source.

My eyes arched in pity and I pursed my lips. _'It can be sing, but sing doesn't deal out damage... And sing isn't loud enough to be heard over all of this commotion.'_ I turned to Braviary. "Do you think you can fly me down to a smaller building?" I asked during the attack's pause.

Braviary nodded to me and waited for me to get on his back. Once I was, he flew down to a smaller building; it was still tall, but I could see more of the street by leaning on the ledge.

"Hey, Braviary... Check this out," I requested as I held myself over the ledge of the rooftop.

Down below us was another overly crowded street except I noticed that there was an unusual mass of white crowded together.

_'Team Plasma...'_ I deducted. _'Some grunts are fighting, but why is everyone here huddled up?'_

The song started up again; It was so close that I knew the source was here, but it was out of my field of vision.

I worriedly turned to Braviary; his eye was twitching and his mouth was slightly open. I quickly grabbed a max potion from my pocket and sprayed him with it. "Better?" I asked hopefully.

Braviary seemed back in shape and nodded to me just as the song ended.

I turned back to the scene below me. It seemed like... Everyone was running away? The giant white mass was ascending upon the colorful one, even know some white headed people were already there. The majority of the colorful people were running away all in one direction while some just kinda lingered behind.

I turned to Braviary. "Do you see any shorter buildings? Or any place I can stand on?" I asked after the song ended again.

Braviary nodded and gestured for me to go on his back once more. He went airborne and took a nose dive towards a shorter building.

Some point during this five second exchange, the song started back up again.

I couldn't help but feel concern when Braviary's muscles started tensing up in pain, but it wasn't as if we could stop airborne.

Suddenly, we had a crash landing. "EEK!" I screeched as my cheek scraped against the concrete of the dirty city roof and I tumbled a few feet away from Braviary. I propped myself up with shaky arms. "Braviary, what-?!" I stopped myself when I saw his visibly shaking form. "B-Braviary..?"

The song stopped once more. So did Braviary's twitching, but he didn't seem to "recover."

I cautiously crept up to him, barely even noticing the singing starting back up again. I probably wouldn't have even noticed if Braviary didn't curl up into what I'd assume was a bird's fetal position. I fearfully shook his body with one hand and turned him over when he was unresponsive. I felt like screaming in frustration when I saw that he was only sleeping, especially when a faint smile grew as soon as the singing stopped. "You pick NOW to take a nap?! Come on, Braviary, get up!"

To not much surprise, he didn't even move.

I sighed. "Return," I said in an irate tone as he returned to his pokeball.

The singing started up again, and suddenly, I felt sorta drowsy.

* * *

_Elesa_

* * *

_"Wake up, miss..!"_

I saw black. I felt nothing. I was lifeless.

_"You're the Nimbasa City gym leader, aren't you..?" _The voice was slightly closer. _"You have to get out of here, then!"_

_'Get out of where..?'_ I reluctantly opened my eyes and saw blackness. It then occurred to me that I was lying flat on my stomach. Rocks were piercing my torso. I craned my head up to look for the source of the voice but all I saw was a somewhat blurry hand. I graciously took it as I was helped up.

There was a man before me. He seemed to be a hiker. "You should go, before anyone else here identifies you," he warned, giving me a hard stare.

"What... Happened?" I asked him, still somewhat in a daze.

The hiker looked to the side and shrugged. "I'd like to know that as well... I wake up and this street is empty compared to earlier; anyone who was here was out cold, just like me."

"And me..." I murmured groggily. "So you don't know what happened?"

The hiker shook his head. "Not exactly."

_'So what, everyone just decided to sleep on the ground? But... Myself included?'_ I looked around me and saw some people waking up, some people walking around with defeated looks, and some people still out cold and on the floor. True to what the hiker claimed, compared to yesterday, there were barely any people on this street.

"What I do remember is that a bunch a' Team Plasma grunts came over here and commanded some Purrloins to use helping hand," he recalled. "Next thing I know, I wake up next to you with all of my pokemon gone."

_'Pokemon gone?!' _I hastily reached into my pocket and sighed with relief when I saw that all of my current team was there. "By the time I came here, everyone was already sleeping."

"That means you came _after _the ambush!" the hiker claimed, aghast. "You should get out of here, before anyone notices!"

I nodded, still somewhat confused of what happened. _'But I still didn't get to check up on Burgh...'_ I shook my head. "No. I still have something I need to do."

"But they _won_!" the hiker snapped. He looked somewhat apologetic like he didn't mean for it to come out that way. "What do you hear?"

I was somewhat suspicious but I complied. My eyes widened when I realized two things; the man before me and I were using a normal tone and could hear each other clearly, and that the sounds of screaming, yelling, and bombardments were at a minimal. It sounded just like a normal day in Castelia City.

"Normally, I'd think we won, but..." The hiker took another glance around. "This isn't a good sign," he claimed while gesturing to the groggy looking people.

I scowled and clenched my teeth. _'Why would all of us just fall asleep like this? Was it... That singing?'_

"Now go!" he snapped, shooing me away. "Before Team Plasma sees you. You still have your pokemon, right? Well I've been asking around and waking people up, and they all say that they don't!"

I felt defeated but I nodded. I didn't want to leave but I still felt somewhat out of it and didn't have the energy in me to fight. _'Alright... But I'm not going to like it...' _I felt my eyes arch in disappointment; I failed before I could even do anything. "I'm... Sorry." I turned around and started walking back to Nimbasa City before the hiker could even respond.

* * *

I scowled to myself, regretting the moment where I stepped out of the city. _'I should have just kept going anyway,'_ I scolded myself, my eyes arched in anger towards myself. _'But it's too late now... I'm already back in Nimbasa.' _I felt so drained earlier that I couldn't think properly. I even heard that song on and off as I approached the city, but as I approached the amusement park, it died out. I was hoping that I could cheer myself up in the amusement park; it still sounded like that festival was going on.

As soon as I stepped foot through those arches, my doorman for the gym rushed up to me. "Oh, Elesa! There you are."

I nodded, waiting for him to explain why he came up to me.

"It appears that the Ferris wheel is malfunctioning," he claimed. "It's going much slower than it usually does, so we stopped more people from entering. Would you mind giving it a look?"

I nodded. "Of course." I had lied enough already with this festival. At the very least, I should try and fix whatever problems there were with it. I needed to help _someone _today, even if the matter was trivial.

During my walk to the Ferris wheel, people gave me waves of acknowledgment and I got smiles from younger children enjoying themselves by watching dancing pokemon. I'd get to partake in this after I was done, and that fact alone made me happy.

I almost winced when I arrived at the Ferris wheel. _'This really is going slow...'_ I realized. It was so slow that it looked like it was just swaying in place. It probably wasn't a big problem to fix, so I circumvented the machine until I found the power box.

In front of it stood a man clad in black, but he didn't seem to notice me. His back was to me.

_'Is he tampering with the Ferris wheel?' _I wondered, now defensive. "Why are you back here?" I asked.

He whipped around, his white hair flowing despite there not even being a breeze. He grabbed something from behind him; it was a pokeball. "None of your concern, gym leader."

I reflexively grabbed a random one of my own from my arsenal without even looking away. "Go!" I commanded as I watched my Stunfisk appear before me.

"Absol!" The masked man before me called out as a pokemon of his own appeared. His eyes were teasing.

"Who do you think you are?" I asked. "What gives you the right to tamper with this machine? Or better yet, what's your motive?"

"I dare you to find out."

"Stunfisk, discharge!" I ordered hurriedly before my opponent could even make a move.

Both of them dispersed and jumped away from the attack. Despite wearing a mask over his mouth, there was an unmistakable smirk there. He had expected, no... Wanted me to do to that.

My eyes widened when I realized what I had just done.

My attack hit the fuse box for the Ferris wheel. Sparks were flying out of it like fireworks.

My head whipped to the side and I saw that the Ferris wheel was now moving dangerously fast. I wasted no more time and ran over to the fuse box and instantly shut off the power, reasoning that I would fix it as soon as I dealt with this man. I turned around and was angered to see the man looking at me in amusement.

"That'll work nicely," he commented, his eyes mocking me. His Absol was no where in sight, so I assumed that he had returned it during my distraction. He then bolted away, his flowing white hair waving behind him. The way he moved was so agile; I doubted that I could keep up wearing my heels, but I wasn't going to give in so easily like I did earlier, only to regret it later.

_'He's not getting away!' _I decided as I pursuited him, lazily recalling Stunfisk at the same time. Once I was out from behind the Ferris wheel, I hurriedly looked both ways.

There were large groups of people surrounding pokemon, but I didn't see the mysterious man. I was about to give in when I saw the tip of his hair some distance away.

I bolted in the direction, but hissed upon falling down and twisting my ankle. I groaned as I cradled my painful ankle. I frowned when I saw that my heel had broken when I had slipped. Cursing to myself, I slipped both shoes off and tossed them aside. I jumped up and continued running in the direction that I was facing, ignoring the pain and my slight limp. Normally I wouldn't try so hard, but I had already failed once today and there was something about this man that I felt I shouldn't take him lightly.

Just when I thought I had lost him again, I saw just a small part of him, running out of the amusement park and making a left once he was out the arches.

I charged towards the direction, ignoring the stares I was getting. I skidded to a halt when I reached the exit of the amusement park, panting. My head shot left, but he was long out of my sight. To my surprise, I saw him from the corner of my eye running past and behind the pokemon center.

I started running towards him again as the cheering from the amusement park died down, but I stopped halfway. _'He can outrun me and he knows it...'_ I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, watching the corner of the pokemon center to see if he would run out. _'He's conveniently not too far away each time, so why? Either he's teasing me or... He wants me to follow him!' _I pursed my lips in annoyance. _'My feet hurt and people are swinging in the air, probably fearing for their lives... I should get to fixing the Ferris wheel,' _I decided as I turned around, only to be stopped.

I practically jumped when two people appeared before me out of thin air. Same face, same clothes, same hair...

"Two of him..?" I muttered to myself in observation, clenching my fists in surprise. I heard something behind me and saw another one standing right behind me. "Three..!" I went into a defensive stance and leveled my hand parallel to my pokeballs. "Who are you?" I asked as I turned back to the two.

"We are the Shadow Triad," the one from behind me spoke, causing me to whip around. "Loyal servants of Team Plasma."

I narrowed my eyes. _'Team Plasma tampering with the Ferris wheel... Why there out of all places? In any case, they must be advancing...'_ I gave the one before me a hard stare. "What was your business in my amusement park?"

"..." The man only continued to stare at me. "You are at a disadvantage. Three against one. No one can hear you here, as everyone is over there," he informed me coldly while pointing in the direction of the amusement park.

I frowned. He was right. Even if I did call for help, no one would hear me through all of the screaming.

Next, one of the two behind me spoke. "Tell you what. Take us all on. If you win, we'll tell you and leave your city peacefully. If you don't-"

"Deal," I cut him off harshly. Knowing the consequences would only give me doubt, and I didn't need my confidence hindered when fighting such formidable opponents. _'Servants of Team Plasma... They're bound to know something about this!'_

He seemed rather amused. "Very well."

I heard something from behind me and I whipped around. The two behind me had disappeared.

"First is me," the one from behind me claimed as I turned around. The other two had lined up behind him. "Absol, let's go!"

* * *

_Skyla_

* * *

I yawned and stretched, standing up from my bed. _'Well that was a nice nap,' _I thought to myself, looking up at the bluish sky fading into orange. I looked across, expecting to see my window, but instead I saw tall buildings, both close and in the distance. I looked down and saw that I had indeed been laying on stone. My eyes widened. _'Wait a second... What am I doing on top of a skyscraper?!'_

* * *

_Elesa_

* * *

_'This isn't good...' _I thought to myself without showing a visible sign doubt on my face. _'I just defeated his two Pawniards and his Absol, but he defeated my Luxray... Not to mention that Ampharos isn't doing too well right now.'_

Even in defeat, the Shadow Triad member before me looked smug. "Absol, return!" With that, both he and his Absol disappeared.

The next one stepped up. "What? Do you want to keep battling?"

I nodded. "Of course!" Despite the sureness in my tone, it was the complete opposite in my head.

"We'll be doing a triple battle," he claimed while taking out three pokeballs at once and started juggling it in his hand.

"What?!" I snapped. _'A triple battle?! I've probably only done that once in my life!' _

"You agreed to our terms without hearing us out," he claimed with a false sense of sadness. "So? What is it? Do you surrender?"

I shook my head courtly as I took out two more of my pokemon. "Zebrstrika and Emolga!" I called out as I tossed the two pokeballs in the air.

Zebrstrika neighed and pounded a hoof on the ground, read to attack. On the other hand, Emolga excitedly flew around me, squealing with joy as he made circles around my head. After a few seconds, he realized that I had called him out for a battle so he dutifully floated into place next to Zebstrika.

_'So Ampharos on the left, Zebstrika in the middle, and Emolga on the right...'_ I told myself. I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. _'I should have let him reveal his own pokemon first.'_

The Shadow Triad before me threw out three pokeballs like shuriken. In front of him, two Bisharps and an Accelgor appeared with Accelgor in the middle.

_'Since Zebstrika knows overheat, he should be able to take down all of them easily... Alright, that's my plan,' _I decided. _'Emolga and Ampharos will only be backup and sacrifices.'_

"Your move," he claimed. I waited for a few seconds to see if he'd take back his allowance, but he didn't.

_'There's something off about him...' _I realized. _'Why would he give me the first move?'_ I mentally shook my head. '_No matter...'_ "Zebstrika, overheat!" I called out while pointing to Accelgor.

He looked back at me and gave me a nod before he started glowing orange, Emolga and Ampharos moving away.

"Bisharp, guillotine." The Shadow Triad's voice was calm and sadistic.

Just as Zebstrika "exploded" with a great fire power, large metallic claws emerged from the ground and sunk a whinnying Zebstrika to the ground. Accelgor had also taken the blunt of Zebstrika's attack and they both met the same fate. Both had fainted.

I clenched my teeth. _'I see... So he wanted to check which of my pokemon were a threat,'_ I realized as I wordlessly recalled Zebstrika. _'In that case, I have to take down that Bisharp with guillotine first,'_ I decided as I called out, "Elektross!" I didn't bother to watch him appear and just kept giving that Bisharp the evil eye. "Use fire punch on that Bisharp on the right! And Emolga, use acrobatics! Ampharos, focus blast on the other one!"

They are made a sound of understanding and jumped to their positions.

I didn't bother to watch; I was still suspicious of this Shadow Triad member. I dared him to counter with my eyes.

Instead, he just stayed silent and coldly watched his pokemon faint. He disappeared just as he returned his pokemon.

The third one stepped up from right behind him. "So? Would you like to keep going?"

I was surprised and taken aback by the pacing of this fight and the coolness of the losers. I regained my posture and nodded. I held up my pokeballs to recall Emolga and Ampharos but he stopped me.

"Our battle will be a rotation battle," he informed me.

I frowned. _'I've spectated these, but I've never actually partook in rotation battles...' _

Rotation battles were turn-based with set positions, so dodging was almost out of the question. I knew the rules well enough, so if this Shadow Triad member broke any, I was going to turn on him with no regrets.

The Shadow Triad tossed three pokeballs in the air, releasing two Bisharps and a Banette, the Bannete in the center. "I'm a fair battler," he informed me, reading my thoughts.

I scowled. _'Now he'll be suspicious of my actions...'_ Not that I cared, but that may put him into a more defensive mindset. "Emolga, Ampharos. Step back."

They both gave nods as they scurried a distance behind Elektross to create a triangle.

"I can tell that you've never battled a rotation battle," the Shadow Triad pointed out. "Out of good sportsmanship, I'll tell you how they work." His voice was teasing, but he didn't seem like he had a motive for lying.

I was grateful that I'd get a few pointers, but from this guy, I felt somewhat ashamed that I needed the help. I had no choice but to let my guard down and listen to what he had to say.

* * *

_Skyla_

* * *

The sky was a dark blue... Almost black.

That had meant I had been out for a long time.

I approached the ledge of the building I had been standing on and looked down; the streets looked relatively empty. People were just walking around, doing their own business... From what I could make out, anyway. I was still at a high place in the dark night.

I pursed my lips. _'That can't be right... This place was a war zone not too long ago.'_ It was then that I realized it was quiet.

Well, not quiet. Just... Not so loud that my eardrums were pounding and breaking my skull in the process. It just seemed like a normal day in the city. Maybe a little tamer; there did seem to be less people out than usual.

_'This is suspicious...'_ I decided, backing away from the ledge. I crossed my arms. _'Hm... What to do?' _

I suddenly remembered the large mass of Team Plasma grunts all accumulated in one place around the gym area. I could visit Burgh's gym, or I could find out just what the heck was going on.

I wondered if Braviary was awake yet; if the sleeping effect really did come from a pokemon attack, he wouldn't be waking up "normally." I didn't have any awakenings either. Waiting him out would be a precious waste of time, too.

_'Speaking of time, my sleeping schedule's going to be messed up,' _I realized, following up with a scowl. '_What a drag...'_

While it was dark, I could still make out the outline of the city. I knew just where I needed to go.

I took out Drifblim's pokeball and summoned him out. "Shhhhh," I hushed even while he was still a mess of light particles.

Drifblim looked at me curiously, awaiting my orders. He would've blended into the sky if it wasn't for his eyes, his "mouth," and that weird puffy thing on the top of his head...

_'I think it's his hair,'_ I thought to myself, finally taking it into consideration. "I'm gonna guide you, and you're gonna carry me, okay?" I extended my arm.

Driftblim have a nod and wrapped his... Arms? Legs? Quite frankly I didn't know what the heck those were. Well, the ribbon things. He wrapped them around my arm and carried me a foot in the air.

I smiled, determined to find what happened. "Good. That way!"

* * *

After what seemed like hours of navigating, but in reality it was only a few minutes, I found my way back to the same street with the gym. Drifblim was a lot slower than Braviary, but unlike Braviary, he could fly me down without attracting much attention.

Even though I looked down on the streets and thought I saw no Team Plasma grunts, I still didn't want to attract attention. I was currently on top of the building I saw Team Plasma piling into earlier, so that was a given.

I looked to Drifblim. "Get me down from here, but do it in that alley over there," I told him.

Drifblim nodded. "Drif!" He wrapped his ribbon things around my torso and gently floated me down into the said alley. I felt like I was being held up by a balloon. One minute later we landed. Driftblim seemed to get the sense that it was his time to go.

"Nice job, buddy!" I said in a hushed tone, giving him a wink and a thumbs up. "I bet no one saw us!"

My attempts to cheer him up a little were futile, as he scoffed and looked away.

I frowned. "Well, then." I took out his pokeball and summoned him back, lightly illuminating the alleyway for a second or two. I peered my head out of the alleyway, and my deduction had been right.

There weren't many people out. Well, there was a considerable amount of people out. It's just that compared to earlier, it was almost scarce. I had been to Castelia a few times, and it was just a tad bit more crowded than this on usual occasions. None of them donned Team Plasma uniforms, so that was a good sign, right?

I casually strolled out with my hands behind my head and whistled. I walked by the Team Plasma building and stopped, turning my head to it as if I had seen something. I looked both ways before slinking in.

The door opened automatically, lighting up a small section of the outside for just a bit.

I practically jumped through the opening and barely noticed when it closed again. I almost gasped. _'These pokeballs... Where are they all from?!'_

Littered across the floor were metal containers stuffed _over _the brim with pokeballs. Pokeballs, great balls, ultra balls, dusk balls, well... Any type of ball stuffed carelessly into a metal container. Some were even stacked up on each other, slanting over the other way, risking a fall. There were a few loose pokeballs scattered on the ground, too. I was afraid that if I didn't watch my step, I'd step on one.

It suddenly occurred to me that someone could be on this floor. "Eek!" I squeaked as my legs gave in, resulting in me to squat on the floor and cover my face with my arms. I slowly drifted my arms apart and peered through the opening, only to see that this floor didn't have any people on it. Anyone I could see, anyway.

Pokeballs galore, but no other living, breathing, soul. There was an elevator all the way on the other side of the room, but was I going to risk it?

My heart was pounding, but my face was determined. _'Should I keep going?'_ I wondered. _'It's not too late to back out.'_ I took a deep breath and looked at the glass doors behind me, then at the elevator before me. _'Keep moving forward.'_ I gulped as I stepped around various containers of pokeballs.

I had to know where all of these came from. I have never seen so many pokeballs all together at once. It was so hard to move that I almost had to split just to get past some. I had knocked a few over by accident, but hey, those weren't the first on the floor. I had made it to the elevator when suddenly light on top of the elevator doors lit up.

I squeaked and mindlessly jumped behind the counter to my left, thanking the heavens that there were no stacks of pokeballs behind there. I rocked in the fetal position, praying that I wouldn't be noticed. _'I can't battle here! I'd destroy all of these pokemon! They aren't doing anything, they're just sitting in their pokeballs!'_

The elevator made a "ding!" and I heard footsteps cut short.

My heart stopped. _'Had they noticed me?'_ My face went hard as my hand slowly approached my sash of pokeballs when I heard a male's voice.

"This floor is filled too?" he asked. "If this one's done too, we've gotten desperate."

_'Wait... Does he mean that there are more floors filled like this?!'_ I was slightly relieved though that he didn't notice me; I wouldn't have to go into any unnecessary battles. _'But somehow, I doubt he's talking to himself.'_

I was proven to be right. There was a sigh. "Great... What about that office on the third?" a feminine voice asked.

"No, that's the sages' hangout spot," the male rejected. "Apparently, Lord Bronius has taken a liking to it."

"Second?" she suggested.

"No. That's where we're keeping our guests."

The woman groaned in agitation. "But these pokeballs... We can't go home until we've taken care of them!"

"At least Lord Ghetsis didn't put us on liberation duty," the man retorted. "That would be a drag."

I paled. _'Don't tell me... We lost?! Are all of these pokeballs stolen from the fighters?!'_ My heart was pounding so hard that I thought it would bust right out of my skin. _'Why?! How?!'_ Then it clicked. _'The singing... It must have been connected to that! It just has to have been!'_

"I suppose you're right," she admitted. "But you have to admit, it was pretty ingenious of Lord Ghetsis to lure everyone into Castelia."

I clenched my teeth. _'Team Plasma knew that they were going to win..? So this special attack... It wasn't a last minute resort!' _

Things were unfolding; I could stay here and investigate more, or did I know everything I needed to know at this point? As soon as these grunts left, I'd have to have made my decision.

But whether I wanted to or not, I had to admit; I was starting to be a little fearful of Team Plasma now.

They had accumulated all of these pokeballs, won a war that wasn't in their favor...

And I was sitting in their den.

I felt my eyes arch in anger. I was disappointed in myself. How dare I suggest fleeing? I had to see this out.

"Just... Here! Put them on this counter," the woman finally suggested.

I felt myself tense up and throw my arms over my head, only to feel and hear the box be set on the counter.

"Good enough for me," the man said boringly as I felt another box stashed.

Footsteps were heard approaching the door, followed by the man muttering profanities under his breath.

"Don't worry, it's over," the woman replied lazily as I heard the door open. "Though I will agree with you on one thing... They could have spaced out those boxes just a little more."

After a few more seconds, the door closed.

I held onto the counter and propped myself up, looking at the door vaguely and then at the still opened elevator doors. I stared at it long and hard before jumping over the open part of the counter and scurrying in there. _'Now, where to go?'_

If I remembered correctly, there were some people on the second floor and an office on the third. The office of a sage, whatever that was.

_'Then I'll go there,'_ I decided as I pressed the button for the third floor. It didn't light up, nor did it after I bashed it a dozen more times. I growled in agitation and decided to experiment in pressing other buttons, but to no avail. I had to retain myself from screaming out in frustration. I finally gave up and just pressed the second floor button, my eyes widening when the button lit up and the door closed. _'Oh no! Aren't there people on that floor?!'_ I quickly pressed my back against the side of the elevator that wasn't the door or wasn't plastered in buttons. I turned my head to the side, hoping to see part of the room.

The door opened, giving me a start. I couldn't see anything from this angle, and I could only hope that it was the same from the outside.

"What do you want this time?" a somewhat angry voice asked.

I paled but scowled, determined to get into a fight and win. But then I stopped when I realize that the words weren't directed towards me specifically.

"Is anyone even in there..?" wondered another voice.

"I don't think so..." a third one observed. "Even if someone was, I doubt we'd get the answers we're looking for." I heard her sigh even as the elevator doors closed.

There was an awkward moment of only the elevator humming and me just standing my myself. If I couldn't even press any other buttons side from the second floor, which people were on, I might as well just leave. Elesa probably checked up on Burgh already, but if he was still in the city, I wanted to give him my own regards.

I realized that I hadn't pressed the button to the first floor yet and so I sheepishly walked over and pressed it.

The elevator opened not too soon after and I walked out, scowling as I tried to circumvent the boxes of pokeballs.

I wanted to take some with me, but I frowned when I realized I couldn't; I'd stick out like a sore thumb, and this was Team Plasma's city now. At the very least, I would take my time so I wouldn't crush any. I was only halfway to the door when I heard the elevator open once again. I assumed that it did it on random, until I heard a voice.

"There! She's still here!"

"Get her!"

I turned around, my eyes wide. I paled.

There were about a dozen grunts stuffed into that one elevator. They were looking at me like I was their prey.

I gave them an awkward smile and waved. "Hey guys! Nice establishment here. I was just leaving, and um, I was wondering if I could take a couple of souvenirs..."

Suddenly, they all filed out of the elevator, charging at me like madmen, kicking boxes out of the way and uncaring of the stray pokeballs they knocked out of it.

I hastily turned around, scowling. I quickened my pace, but unfortunately, I was still slow compared to them.

The only sound was the crashing of tin and pokeballs hitting the floor.

Just as I felt them breathing down my neck, I was out the door. I smirked in victory as I ran at full speed down the street. I felt accomplished as I heard them running after me, even when I had escaped. I reached for a pokeball in my arsenal. "Bring me home, Archeops!"

Just as I threw my pokeball in the air, Archeops came out and caught it in his talons. He cawed as he flew forward even faster than I and then upwards and back. Needless to say, he made a circle in the air to catch speed. Finally, he flew back to my side, waiting for me to jump on. I jumped in place and he flew under me, understanding the direness of the situation, and because of this, didn't complain when I had him in a choke hold.

I looked down and behind at the Team Plasma grunts that I had just abandoned and felt proud when they stopped in their place and looked up at me in hatred. "Maybe next time! HAHAHAHAHA!"

* * *

_Elesa_

* * *

_'I'm not going to win,' _I realized, clenching my teeth in frustration.

He had taken down my Zebstrika and my three remaining pokemon were nearly fainted. While I had done a deal on his pokemon too, they weren't in nearly as bad as a shape.

_'Well, I won't win with that mindset,'_ I told myself, despite knowing of what the outcome was going to be. I looked up. _'It's getting late... If I go down, I go down with no regrets!'_

Just as I prepared myself to make my final move, the two other Shadow Triads appeared in the middle of our battleground with their backs to me.

"Everything is finished... You can stop now," one said the the one battling me.

"I see... I don't know how much longer I could have keep this up for," he claimed. "You two didn't give me much to work with."

_'Was he... Actually having as hard of a time as I was?'_ I wondered.

"Don't flatter yourself, gym leader," the one battling me warned me. "We weren't battling seriously."

_'Wh-What...' _I wondered. _'Did they not see me as a challenge because I'm a newcomer to triple battles and rotation battles?'_

The two other Shadow Triads turned around. The one on my right spoke. "We were only stalling."

"'Stalling?'" I echoed._ 'So I was only a time killer?'_ The thought enraged me. I clenched my fists. "For what?!"

"That... We cannot tell you," he told me, "but I can tell you that you would have never lost. If anything were to happen to you now, that would be unfortunate."

I gave them a look that asked "why?"

The one on my left spoke. "To keep it frank, you are the only one with the capability of repairing the Ferris wheel."

The three of them looked at me, feeding on my disbelief. I had truly only been an object for killing time all the while?

I scowled at them. _'How dare they... Not even take me seriously!'_ I was about to lash out on them until I suddenly remembered. _'The Ferris wheel!'_

The concern must have shown on my face. "That's right... Those people have been on there for a while, haven't they?"

"You should get going now," the one in the far back recommended as he recalled his pokemon. "Goodbye, Elesa. It's been a real... Slice."

And with that, they disappeared.

I felt pure rage right now; how dare they do that! I didn't even know their motive for tampering with the Ferris wheel! But as much as I hated to admit it, I really did have to get going; who knows how long they've been up there? I cursed to myself as I recalled my pokemon; they all looked concerned for me and had patiently been quite throughout this whole exchange. I bolted in the other direction, ignoring the painful stabs on my bare feet._  
_

* * *

I looked up at the dangling cars of the Ferris wheel.

The insides were pitch black, beating out the sky which was really dark itself. I felt guilty and sympathetic for whatever passengers were in there, but feeling for them wouldn't help their situation at all.

The amusement park was empty, and I wondered to myself how no one was trying to help them down. Maybe no one knew people were up here. I did, however, and it was time to do something about it.

I circumvented the ride and found my way to the control panel. I inspected it and noticed that nothing at all was wrong with it; the Shadow Triad probably only slowed down the ride, but why not just stop it? Did he not know how to? That meant that the only problem was the power box that I had shorted out. In any case, that only made the job easier for me.

I observed that all it needed was a little electricity as in my panic I had severed the link to the main power source.

I fumbled with three pokeballs in my pocket before deciding that they were the right ones and called them out. "Ampharos, Emolga, Stunfisk!"

They all appeared before me, still wearing their masks of concern.

I shook my head._ 'I'm touched, but now's not the time for that.'_ "I'm sorry; I know you're tired, but you need to do this. You two," I addressed Ampharos and Stunfisk, "discharge on the power box."

They both gave me nods before turning to the power box, illuminating the area. They both made sounds of strain, but their faces were hard and determined.

"Emo..!" Emolga rasped, preparing to join in until I stopped him with my hand.

"Not you," I told him. "The only electric move you know is wild charge and that will... Destroy this."

Emolga's ears twitched downward as he gave me a sad face. "Emo..." he whimpered,

I shook my head. "No, I called you out for a reason."

He immediately perked up and awaited my orders.

"You need to fly by the cars," I told him. "Tell me if there are people in the oncoming ones."

"Emolga!" he cheered as he gave me a gleeful nod, gliding over to the first car. "Emo, emo!" he called out, confirming that there were people in there.

I turned to my other two pokemon, pitying them when I saw just how hard they were trying. I heard humming coming from behind me. I whipped around, relieved to see that the Ferris wheel had started up again. I walked over to the front and stared up at it.

It was still going at an incredibly slow pace, but it was starting. The lights coming from inside were dull and not very bright, but it was a sign. The first cabin was already close to the platform, and so I walked up to there, ready to help the eager riders out.

* * *

"Emolga!"

"Got it..." I replied unsurely. When I took a glance over at Ampharos and Stunfisk, they looked ready to collapse. I looked up at the sky and saw that it was black. Pitch black. There was no telling how late it was. "Emolga, how many more?"

Emolga flew up and glanced at the closest cabin. He then ascended more but halted at the second one. He flew back down to the first one and waved. "Emo!"

"That's the last one?" I asked. _'Thank goodness...'_

Emolga nodded, a cheeky grin on his face.

I smiled and let out a chuckle. "You did good, Emolga. Now come back down here."

Emolga gleefully glided to my side and eagerly waited for the final car doors to open. We had been waiting longer on this specific cabin, probably because the other two's attacks were growing weaker.

_'It's only an inch away from getting into the appropriate slot... That'll take another five minutes at this pace,' _I thought, rolling my eyes. _'Perhaps I could just force the doors open... Those two need a break anyway. They've been doing this non stop.'_ "Take a break and come over here!" I called out to them.

Ampharos sighed with great relief and fell on her back while Stunfisk just laid low.

_'It's a relief that these things open so easily...'_ I thought to myself, pitying my pokemon for all of their hard labor. I walked over to the doors and pried them open without much effort. Probably not the safest precaution, but that could always be fixed. While I would've been sleeping long before this, I didn't feel too tired at the moment, but I still had something I wanted to do after.

Hilda knew things about Team Plasma, that was a positive. She hadn't visited me at all today, to my knowledge at least. If I wasn't going to sleep, I might as well do something productive and find her. Perhaps she knew who the Shadow Triad was...

As the door opened, the light died down, divulging the two riders in darkness. It was then that I noticed that they were sitting down, facing this door here. I wondered why they weren't sitting in their seats. I expected them to stand up as soon as the doors opened, but they didn't move at all.

_'Fell asleep,' _I observed. _'If I was up there for that long, I would've too.' _I ducked down to their level, and while I still couldn't see their faces clearly I could still see the outlines of their bodies.

They were knocked out cold. The boy's head was on the girl's shoulder, and hers on his head. The hats they were wearing masqueraded their identities. Despite not being able to see them, they looked so peaceful, breathing in a synchronized way.

_'Ah, young love... I hate to break it up, but I'm on a tight schedule; who knows how long it'll take to find Hilda, and who knows if she's even awake?'_ I stood up and looked down at them. "Hey, you two. You're back on the ground. You can get up now."

There was no response. They were out cold.

"I'm sorry to ruin your moment, but it's really time to go."

All they were doing was breathing. They showed no sign of hearing me whatsoever.

I turned to Ampharos and Stunfisk. "I'm sorry to ask you of this after such a stressful ordeal, but do you mind powering up the fuse again? Perhaps a little light will wake them up."

They nodded and walked away, seemingly not bothered, but Ampharos had an unmistakable limp.

I shot her a look of pity despite the fact that she couldn't see me and turned back to the two sleeping teenagers. _'Perhaps a little more volume will wake them up...' _I thought to myself. _'It's not like me to raise my voice for no reason, but I suppose I have to.'_ "You two! Wake up! I'm on a tight schedule!"

The Ferris wheel jolted back to life, a slight humming in response to the functionality. The girl shifted a bit but showed no sign of actually waking up.

I raised an eyebrow. _'Just how tired can you get..?' _

Emolga growled, preparing to attack them.

I rolled my eyes. _'Always using force... Well, it won't help this time.' _I interfered before Emolga could do anything. "No, Emolga," I muttered to him. I turned back to the sleeping couple. "You two! Wake up!" When I failed to awaken them once again, I assumed that getting closer might amplify my voice, so I did just that and stood in the doorway.

Finally, the dim light came on again, revealing just who these people were. The boy looked familiar but couldn't put my finger on it; perhaps he was a challenger at one point. But the girl...

"H-Hilda..?" I choked out. _'So... This whole time, when she was supposed to be telling me about Team Plasma, she was in a Ferris wheel with a boy doing things in a Ferris wheel that Ferris wheels aren't made for?! I didn't even know she was into boys! Heck, why was she here but not at the gym?! Her information could have saved Castelia City! Well, she's gonna get it now!' _I was angry, fuming. I would have no more of this. "WAKE UP!"

Hilda moaned and shifted for a few seconds as I impatiently tapped my foot. After a few seconds, her eyes shot open. "Oh my gosh... ARE WE ON THE GROUND?!" She sprang up to life and ran past me faster than lightning, not giving me a second glance.

The boy, on the other hand, lost his "headrest." He noticed the absence, but it was too late. His eyes shot wide open as he fell to the floor with a great "thud," the impact of his head on the metal floor making an echoing sound. He squinted his eyes shut and groaned in pain, holding his heands to his head.

"Ooh..." I hissed, cringing. _'That looked like it hurt...' _I thought while awkwardly turning away.

Hilda, on the other hand, was running around with circles with her hands up.

I found her behavior rather odd, but I couldn't help but smile. _'She's like a happy little kid... I doubt she even knew what went on in there.'_

"OH MY GOODNESS! WE'RE ALIVE!" she belted out. I had just the tiniest inkling that she wasn't this surprised and was only acting like this for the heck of it. She spun around with a giant grin on her face. "Who is my barefooted savior?!" She looked ecstatic to see that it was me. "Thank you! I thought we were going to die!" she exclaimed as she ran up to me. "Elesa, you're-! You're... Not wearing shoes," she examined as her eyes drifted to my feet.

"Don't mind that," I muttered, suddenly remembering all of my frustration directed towards her. "What were you doing in there? You know what? Never mind that." I suddenly remembered that I forgot to return all of my pokemon to their pokeballs so I did so before continuing. I felt a presence next to me so I glanced to the side, seeing the boy from earlier. _'I should tell them... About Castelia City.'_

When I turned back to Hilda, she had seemed to notice the importance of my tone. Her face had lost all of its silliness and she was waiting eagerly for me to reveal what I was going to say.

"Team Plasma won over Castelia City."

Hilda looked relatively surprised, but she looked like she was trying to hide it. She paused before she spoke, but even when she did, her tone was unsure. "What? A-Are you sure?"

I gave a nod. "As to any explanations, I can't provide you with any, because I don't know any myself."

Hilda looked to the side, like she was conflicted. Did she know about this?

"Why don't we discuss this matter back at the gym?" I suggested as I started walking forward. _'There's nothing to get in the way of this now.'_ I was going to make sure that nothing got in the way of me learning everything I could about Team Plasma.

"Actually, I'm going to go to Castelia City and see this for myself," the boy stated, but it was more directed towards Hilda.

"Uh, wait, N... Now? At this time?" Hilda asked.

"If not now, then when?" he asked.

"Well, Elesa just invited us to the gym..." Hilda offered.

N looked at me before shaking his head. "Thank you for the offer, but I have other means of business to attend to."

Hilda looked like she was going to go after him, but all of the sudden, she looked rather... Uneasy. "Oh, okay. I'll, uh, catch up with you some other time then."

N turned around and continued to walk out of our sight.

I turned to Hilda, waiting for an answer. "Um, Elesa... I think I forgot my bag in the Ferris wheel, so I'm just gonna check really quick," she informed me. "I won't take long, so you can head on back now."

I stared at her unsurely before deciding to take her word for it and heading back to the gym.

* * *

I sighed to myself as I looked down at my feet. _'These'll have to suffice for now...'_

The only shoes I found in this whole place were two different pairs of the same shoes, though only missing the other half. Basically, my right shoe was red and my left shoe was blue. They were comfortable, though, so they'd have to make do.

At the moment I was waiting in front of the gym doors for Hilda to return. I wondered how long it could take her to check a small Ferris wheel cabin.

There was a sound of a bird cawing. When I looked up, I saw the familiar outline of a Braviary.

_'I bet that's Skyla.' _I looked up waiting patiently for her to land. Once she did, I walked over to her.

"Elesa?" she asked, eyeing me oddly. She jumped off of Braviary and stood up on her toes, eyeing me down. "Oh my gosh! You're so short!"

"It's the heels," I informed her.

Her eyes drifted down to my feet. "Why are your shoes two different colors?"

"They were all that I could find at the moment," I answered. "But I think I'm going to keep them... They're quite comfortable."

"Hah. If you're going to keep those, you're going to have to change your whole look!" she pointed out jocosely.

I pursed my lips, contemplating the possibility. "I suppose so... It's about time I changed my look."

"I know, right?" a third voice chimed in, causing me and Skyla to whip around. "Elesa, dahling, that look just isn't you!" she declared jocosely, a teasing hand on her hip. She was smiling at the joke she made.

"Ooh! Hilda! Hi!" Skyla exclaimed, waving her hand. "It's me, Skyla!"

"Hey Skyla, long time no see," she greeted, waving her hand once. Despite her laid back demeanor, she still seemed a bit uneasy. I suppose being in a Ferris wheel for that long could do that to a person. "So what are you doing here so late at night?"

"I have to talk to Elesa," she informed her. "It's about Team Plasma."

I turned to Skyla. _'Does she know something as well..?' _"What do you know?"

"Can we talk about this inside the gym?" she suggested. "It's cold outside!" And with that, she scurried into the gym uninvited.

I turned to Hilda. "Well? Are you coming?"

Hilda pursed her lips, contemplating the invitation, before shrugging. "Sure, why not?"

I frowned a little. _'It wasn't a choice...'_ I led her through the gym doors and held it open for her as she walked through.

The three of us huddled around the first car of the roller coaster. There was awkward moment of staring at each other before I decided to speak.

I turned to Hilda. "Alright, Hilda. You first. I know you know something about Team Plasma."

She shrugged nonchalantly and pursed her lips. "At this point, I know just about as much as you do."

I raised my eyebrow, unconvinced. _'Is she lying or is she being genuine? She said she knew the King of Team Plasma...'_

She turned to Skyla, signifying the end of her "testimony."

I sighed and followed in her example. I made a mental note to interrogate her later. "And Skyla?"

"Well, I went to Castelia City today," she told us, her face completely serious. "And I figured out that there was some kind of pokemon attack that ranged throughout the whole city!"

"The _whole _city?" asked Hilda, clearly unconvinced like I was.

Skyla nodded her head. "Yeah. It started around the afternoon... Braviary and I flew around trying to get away from it but- OH MY GOSH, BRAVIARY! He's still outside and I forgot to return him!"

I grabbed Skyla's arm as she attempted to bolt away. I held up a finger and ticked it both ways. "Braviary can handle himself. So you were saying?"

Skyla looked at me desperately before sulking back in place, gaining back her serious demeanor. "Well, anyway... We kept trying to fly around to escape from it, but it didn't work... Braviary kept taking damage, and eventually, he fell asleep."

"That tired, huh?" asked Hilda.

Skyla shook her head. "No, not at all! Braviary's a fighter! It was a side effect of the attack... And, well... I fell asleep too."

Skyla had my full attention now. '_Fell asleep..? Just like I did.'_

Hilda looked immensely confused now. "So then what kind of attack was it?"

"Well, at first I thought it was sing, but sing wouldn't cause damage... And sing shouldn't effect humans either!"

Hilda pursed her lips and looked down at the side, trying to think of what possible attack could do that.

_'Wait, sing..? So that melody in my head... It wasn't my own imagination?'_ I wondered. I had suddenly remembered that I already came across that realization; I was probably just so out of it that I didn't give anything within the moments before and after a second thought. _'I doubt anyone else in the amusement park heard it, though... It was too loud for them to hear it. If fact, I didn't even hear it until I left that place.'_

Hilda waited for Skyla to go on "So what? You fell asleep and..."

"I woke up where I was much, _much _later," she explained. "I remembered seeing Team Plasma huddling into one building so I went there."

"What was in it?" pried Hilda, putting all of her interest into it. She looked really eager.

"Well... I only saw the first floor," Skyla explained sheepishly. "Then... They kinda chased me out."

"What was there?" I pried.

Skyla's face went grim. "You wouldn't believe it... Pokeballs! Pokeballs everywhere!" she explained, holding out her hands. "You could step on one and not even notice! They were stacked up in these metal thingies and scattered all around the floor!"

My face went dark. "So that's where all of the losers' pokemon went..."

"Not only there, but there were apparently _floors _of that building filled to the brim with pokeballs!" Skyla exclaimed, still holding out her arms wide. "Piling that many pokeballs on the first floor was apparently desperation!"

"Well, do you remember where this building is?" I asked.

Skyla turned to me and nodded. "Elesa, what are you planning?" she asked worriedly.

"I say the three of us form a rescue mission," I suggested. "Perhaps just the first floor as to not attract attention, but at this point... I'll take what I can get."

"I, uh, don't think that's a good idea," Hilda cut in sheepishly. "If they have those pokeballs on the first floor... Don't you think someone would be guarding it?"

Skyla sighed. "Probably now... Because I broke in."

I pursed my lips. "I suppose you're right... We'll have to leave those be. Did you learn of anything else?"

"Um..." Skyla looked up to the sky, trying to recall earlier events. "Oh... Apparently there's this guy called 'Ghetsis' and he planned this _whole _thing."

I raised my eyebrow. "Is this guy the King of Team Plasma then?" I asked, turning to Hilda for confirmation.

She shrugged and looked at Skyla, desperate to know what she was talking about.

I was starting to get tired of Hilda's submissive state; she said she knew the King of Team Plasma, didn't she? _'Or maybe she thought she did...' _I thought, giving her the benefit of the doubt.

"Well, moving on," Skyla cut in, "apparently Ghetsis meant for everyone to come into Castelia City... He lured them in, but for what?" she asked to herself. "To use that special attack on everybody and take their pokeballs if they fell asleep! I think..."

"And if the attack gave damage and a chance of sleep effects, the pokemon would be sleeping too..!" Hilda chimed in, pounding a fist into her open palm. "Or, at least, they'd faint eventually."

I winced. I had to admit, the plan was ingenious; have us believe we would win, and just when the population of volunteers reached their peak, unleash this amazing attack and take the winnings..._ 'These volunteers were probably the strongest offensers of Team Plasma...' _

"Well in any case... That's all I got," Skyla claimed. "If neither of you have anything else, I think I should be going back home; I've been missing for a day."

I nodded. "Okay... Goodbye, Skyla." As Skyla took her leave, I turned back to Hilda. "Are you sure you know nothing more?" I asked her.

She gave a stubborn nod. "'Course! Why, do you?"

I sighed and shook my head. "No, I suppose not... But there is a question I've been meaning to ask." In actuality, it only came to mind right now, but that didn't really matter.

"Alright, shoot."

"I know how you're from Nuvema Town, and so are your friends," I started off. "You and Cheren seem to have this 'knock back up' attitude, but your friend with the overprotective father... How is Bianca doing in this?"

Hilda froze and stared out in front of her. "Um... She's good."

_'No she isn't... The answer is plain on your face; you may look aloof, but one wouldn't hesitate just to say, 'She's good.'" _

I may have only met with Hilda the day that she challenged me, but she seemed so admirable protecting her friend. However, lately I've been hearing more lies than truth. She looked conflicted this whole time, and any respect I had gained for her during the day I met her had eroded away. It could have just been my frustration speaking, but...

Was there anything about this girl that wasn't a lie?

* * *

**Is There Such a Thing Called "Truth"? : End**

* * *

Okay, while I don't think this is the _worst _chapter, I do think it's the most unnecessary. You kinda have to put things together to get the point, but I think I made all of the background stuff painfully obvious, so that shouldn't be a problem. Still, it's a little confusing and long-winded...

Now, there _might _not be an update for a week or two. Something came up about two weeks ago, and it won't last for much longer, but still. Thought I'd give you a warning.

And last chance to vote for this poll. Who do you see as the main protagonist for BW2? Nate or Rosa? Nate has one vote, Rosa has three. The outcome of this poll determines which one shows up sooner ._.

It isn't said, but when the Ferris wheel malfunctions, someone took notice to it. Realizing the technological difficulties, an evacuation was issued. N denied going to the gym because he didn't want Elesa breathing down his back.

* * *

KawaiiJoltic : Yeah, sorry for the long wait. And it's good to know I didn't get either of them _too _out of character. But it is an alternate universe, so I have that excuse, haha. And it's good to know you're looking forward to Hilbert. I thought that maybe putting him in there might have been pretty cheesy, but I guess not. As for re-writing the whole story... Still thinking on that. I'm waiting to see if I actually improve on writing or not. And are you serious. Just when I thought that you were going to stop the "thank you's." -.- Well, thanks anyway.

PikaScootaloo : Thanks for your opinion. It really does help to see that some people disagree with my opinions (haha, what kind of backwards logic is that?). While I'm still not content, I don't know. Opinions can change, but it really is good to know that people think well of my story. And I will strive to be better. Thanks for the review, Reviewer-Person =P (lol)

DigimonLoveForever : Yup, I updated. It took so long though, so sorry ._.' And thanks, that's what everyone's been telling me XD (That last chapter wasn't bad). As for when Reshiram's coming in? In non-stone form, not too soon. I've been giving in subtle hints that Hilda isn't "truthful," so she doesn't suffice as a hero yet. And yes, Kyurem will be. I think I mentioned a "carcass" twice so far. That's him, or her... Or it. And finally, Nate has a vote XD Thanks for reviewing. reading, and voting.

salmaawesome : Thanks for your opinion, it really means a lot. And thanks for voting, reading, and reviewing.

SeafoamPurpleCurtains : Yeah, that's propable the best way to go ("just keep swimming.") It's good to know you like it. Well, thanks for reading and reviewing, it really does mean a lot.


	20. Audacity

**Chapter 20 : Audacity**

* * *

I stretched and yawned as my eyes fluttered open.

That was probably one of the best sleeps I've had this whole week. I still felt like it was missing something, but I felt so relaxed right now that I didn't bother to question it. I assumed it was because I caught up on sleep in the Ferris wheel.

I couldn't get yesterday night, or this morning, out of my mind though. I felt like I missed out on a good chance to counter-strike Team Plasma. At the very least, Skyla caught me up with the situation. My mind was in shambles, trying to figure out just what happened. I couldn't figure it out; it didn't make sense. But it happened anyway, and there was no changing the past.

And Elesa reminded me of one thing; Bianca's parents. If she hadn't mentioned her father, I wouldn't have given them a second thought.

_'I doubt they know where their daughter is...' _I thought to myself as I yawned and turned over, seeing if I could catch just a few more moments of sleep. _'I wonder if I should tell them...' _I stood up from bed.

They were her parents; they deserved to know if their daughter was "missing." On the other hand, why upset them? Perhaps it was best to just keep their minds at peace. It wasn't like Cheren's parents knew where he was either.

In the end, I decided to just see how the day played out. I wanted to meet up with Hilbert; perhaps a few train battles could help me be at peace, if only for a while. Plus, I was interested in who this "protege" of his was.

I stretched my arms as I walked down the stairs. I was feeling really hungry. After all, I only had lunch yesterday, if that wasn't including a stick of cotton candy.

When I finished descending the stairs I noticed the front door opening.

I halted in place. _'Hm..? Who's here?'_ I wondered as I just stared at the door curiously.

In came Rood, his robes flowing behind him. Apparently, he thought he was allowed to welcome himself in.

I narrowed my eyes in mild annoyance but walked over to him. "Is there something you need, Lord Rood?" I asked, meeting him halfway.

"Ah, yes. If you aren't busy, your assistance is requested," he informed me.

I raised my eyebrow. _'I have a choice..?' _"Er... What do you need?"

"There has been a reason to accelerate our plans," he admitted reluctantly. "Even as we speak, Lord N is traveling on foot to Nimbasa City to conquer it."

"Lord N's going alone?!" I asked, shocked.

Rood held up a submissive hand. "There's no need to be concerned. Lord N can handle himself. All he's doing is defeating the Nimbasa City gym leader and our reinforcements will come in straight after."

I sighed in relief. _'He may have taken over the Unity Tower, but if he thought he could take on a whole city...' _I pursed my lips. "So then what do you need me for?"

"We'd like to take down any strong opposers swiftly," Rood explained, putting down his hand. "Lord N is taking care of the gym, yet there is also the Nimbasa City subway."

I nodded. "Ah... I see where this is going. Lord N can't be in two places at once, so you need someone to take down the subway bosses, right?"

Rood nodded. He smiled, most likely because he didn't have to explain all of that.

I scratched the back of my head. "Now?"

Rood nodded again. "Yes, now would be the ideal time," he said in a very matter-of-factly voice.

I shrugged. "Okay," I replied as I walked to my bag which I had lazily threw onto the couch yesterday. I put it on my shoulder and prepared to leave.

"You aren't going to change into your uniform?" asked Rood.

I turned around and shook my head. _'What's with these guys and uniforms? It's as if it's illegal to go outside without one!' _I coughed, dispersing my thoughts before I could say something of the like out loud. "Yes, you see, I actually do have a friend that likes to partake in subway battles. He told me he wanted to fight the bosses on the Multi-Trains some time soon," I explained. Rood didn't seem to get my hint, so I continued. "If I had my uniform on, not only would I be spotted before I even get into the city, but he'd obviously refuse to partake in battling."

Rood looked away. "Ah, yes, I understand." He seemed somewhat embarrassed of not being able to put it together. That, or his mind was elsewhere.

I pursed my lips. "Lord Rood... Is something on your mind?"

"Oh, no," Rood replied a little too hastily. He held up a submissive hand. "Shouldn't you be getting to your duties?" he asked, trying to change the topic.

I raised an eyebrow at his behavior. _'He isn't going to stay here, is he..?' _I thought while feeling just a bit cautious. I reluctantly walked out of my door and once I was out I asked, "Are you coming, my Lord?"

Rood's head snapped front, as if he was in a trance. "Oh, yes," he replied as he walked over and through the door.

_'Something's up,' _I realized, _'but I don't have time to find out,' _I decided as I searched for Zubat's pokeball. As Rood passed by me, I bowed and received a nod of acknowledgment. _'Such a suspicious character... Yet, he's appears to be the only sage who doesn't hate my guts,' _I thought to myself in amusement as I released Zubat to fly me to Nimbasa City.

* * *

I landed on my two feet, crouching with one hand on the ground and the other to my chest, holding a pokeball. Zubat dropped me a foot or two before we landed, but I played it off like that meant to happen.

I narrowed my eyes and looked around to see a few small kids looking at me in awe. I smirked to myself. _'Yup, it worked. But I'm still gonna have to kill Zubat later.' _I slowly stood up and held up my pokeball while chanting, "Zubat, return!" I saw the red light from the brim of my hat as I pocketed the pokeball. _'To the subway.'_

As I was walking by, something about the city felt... Different.

This was a place once so lively, and it still was. But it just didn't _feel _lively? There wasn't as much noise as a backdrop, and the people here were walking around somewhat fearfully, almost as if something would pop out of the shadow they stepped on. Young children, on the other hand, didn't seem to have a care in the world. It then occurred to me that while there still were a lot of people out, there could have been more out.

Was Nimbasa City scared?

It had a right to be; the city right below it had been taken over by terrorists, and they were next. I noticed a lot of noise coming from specifically across the corner. I deemed it curious until I only saw that it was a large crowd pouring into Gear Station.

_'I guess everyone wants to get a battle in before it threatens their civilian lives,'_ I assumed as I joined in the back of the crowd, patiently waiting for the "line" to move forward. _'That or because the Ferris wheel is broken and no one has anything better to do...' _It took about a good five minutes, but eventually I was able to file and shove my way through, earning me a spot in the crowded stairwell. I pursed my lips as I tried to gain the right of way. _'Huh... Looks like there'll be a lot of subway battles today.'_

The flow of people started running once they hit the floor, the lower end of the staircase just as hasty. They all turned left.

I shoved my way out of the crowd and looked on. _'Is there some kind of event that I don't know about?'_

It seems that everyone was pouring into the train to Anville Town. The ruckus was so chaotic that there were probably around two dozen coachmen that had to assist in keeping everyone calm.

"Ah, of course... Everyone's escaping the city," I murmured to myself. "Does that mean that the battle subways are closed..?"

"No, they're not," a voice informed from behind me, causing me to whip around. It was a man with a kind face, also donning the uniform of a coachman. "We've had to close almost all of the trains due to the excessive flow of people and lack of participants, but there is one train open," he explained with a smile. "The Multi-Train."

I smiled. "Thanks! Just what I needed to hear," I told him as I jogged past him. I was getting really pumped; it's been a while since I've been down here. Battling on a rickety subway was the best, especially if your Boldore knew earthquake. _'But... I don't have Boldore with me. And I'm not exactly here for fun anymore,' _I remembered, the sides of my lips curling to a frown.

When I entered the tunnel, it seemed pretty normal. All of the chatter from outside, if I didn't know the source, was normal too. There were a few single trainers lounging about the "room," looking for other partners. Meanwhile, I spotted my own "subway buddy" leaning against the wall next to PC, which was next to the prize redeeming counter.

I fleered in excitement and weaved my way through the thin crowd until someone came in front of me. "Oh, er, sorry," I apologized as I halted to let him go his way.

He didn't move, though. He looked at me oddly. "I'm not meaning to be rude, but Hilbert over there doesn't feel like battling today," he told me with a sure smile. "He's only here because all of the other trains are closed."

"... What?" I asked. _'How did he know I was going to Hilbert?' _I took the time to examine him; with that one sentence, I knew that this probably wouldn't be the last time I saw him.

He wore a red sun visor that barely kept down his scruffy hair. He had an amicable smile, but there seemed to be just an inkling of mischievousness hidden under there if you looked close enough. He also had a dark blue, short sleeved, jacket on. I didn't bother to look down any more since he was just a bit shorter than me, maybe by an inch or two.

"I saw you smiling and looking his way," he explained. He then shrugged, keeping his arms in that position as he spoke. "Unfortunately, he can't just battle with everybody. He only rides the Multi-Train with one person, and even I haven't met her yet."

I fleered in amusement, suppressing a chuckle. _'Wait, wait, wait a second... Did Hilbert hire a bodyguard? Ha!' _"You see, I'm actually that girl! And I'm pretty short on free time," I explained. "My name is..." I paused, wondering if this would even matter, but decided to go along with it anyway. "Hilda."

The boy looked somewhat amused. "Hilbert, and his partner, Hilda... I'm sorry, but couldn't you have done more than just make his name feminine?" He put his hands on his hips. "And you paused for all that time, too," he teased.

I should have been annoyed, but I wasn't. I was just as amused as he was. I decided to play along, just for the giggles. "Oh, but you must let me battle with the almighty Hilbert!" I pleaded while clasping my hands together. "My life depends on it!"

The boy pursed his lips and let his hands fall to his side. He looked at me somewhat pitifully. "Hey, he may be a great trainer, but there's no need to go to extremes."

I dropped my hands and wore a smut. "Hey, dude, I was kidding... I thought we had something going on here."

The boy looked at me quizzically. He had looked at me with a blank facial expression, indicating that he didn't know that I was joking.

I sighed, seeing that the fun was over. "Well... It was real nice to meet you, rabid Hilbert fanboy, but I really am short on time," I informed him as I walked around him. _'No kidding... I hope N isn't in the city yet. He has to battle all of those trainers to get to Elesa, but I have to go through twenty one double battles.'' _"Nice meeting you though," I called back while lazily putting my hand up after I passed him. I made eye contact with Hilbert and returned the wave of acknowledgment he gave me. I quickened my pace as he stood up, only to be cut off again.

The boy stood in front of me again. I couldn't decipher the emotion on his face; I could have said displeased, but he just didn't seem angry or annoyed in the slightest.

"Clearly, you have something for Hilbert. I don't know in what way, but you won't settle for me meeting with him," I pointed out. "Tell you what; let's battle. Loser leaves him alone because I'm somewhat afraid for Hilbert."

The boy pursed his lips and put his hands on his hips. "Why is that?"

"Because I have a feeling that you stalk him."

While the accusation didn't seem to offend him, it was evident that he was trying to think of a comeback on his own. Apparently he couldn't come up with one when he claimed, "But all I have is a starter..."

Hilbert finally caught up to me. He was stood behind the boy before laying a hand on his shoulder and gesturing the other one towards me. The boy's head jerked back upon the sudden touch of someone else, but once he saw Hilbert it was evident that the two knew each other. "Nate, this is Hilda," Hilbert introduced. "She's the trainer I've been talking about."

Nate looked at me apologetically and shrugged, holding it as he spoke. "Heh... I'm sorry, I didn't know you knew him."

I mimicked his shrugging and smiled. "It's alright. I didn't know you knew him either." I turned to Hilbert. "So did you actually hire a bodyguard or something?"

Hilbert only smiled at my absurd observation. "No. I asked Nate here to do me a favor."

"And what was that?" I asked. "Do tell."

"It's a long story," Hilbert explained, turning around and gesturing me to follow him.

Nate and I looked at each other and shrugged.

"You see, since you left Nimbasa City, I was so taken by our double battle with the subway bosses that I just had to keep fighting down in Gear Station," Hilbert started off as we retreated back to the corner he was hiding in earlier. He continued once all three of us took our place on the wall. "Because of my obsessive battling and beating the subway bosses on almost every platform, I became somewhat famous among avid battlers down here."

"Well, I'm not too surprised," I said with a joking smile on my face. "When I asked you to travel with me to Mistralton to earn badges together, you denied it because apparently 'the Pokemon League is too formal for' you."

"Funny thing actually," Nate cut in. "That's his slogan."

Right then and there, I had to laugh. "No kidding?"

Hilbert looked away, either embarrassed or annoyed, while Nate nodded his head, clearly entertained by Hilbert's reaction.

_'That's too funny,' _I decided. "So what, you got a fan club now?"

"More or less," he admitted.

_'Oh wait... Seriously?'_

"People have been asking me all day to pair up with them... I think they're in it for the BP." Hilbert gestured to Nate. "That's why I asked Nate here to intercept people who seemed to be walking over to me," he explained. "He can be blunt if he wants to be. That, and people are less inclined to want to pair up with me if they aren't arguing with me myself. To everyone else, Nate is just an annoying kid that isn't worth the time."

"Kid? You're not much older than I am," Nate corrected, only slightly annoyed.

"Well still. Like Hilda, people think you're just some rabid fanboy," he pointed out, amused by my choice of words. "So I've basically been avoiding partners all day. I wouldn't even be here if all of those bothers weren't running away to Anville Town and using up all of the coachmen's attention," he explained, just barely keeping the bitter tone in his voice at a minimal. He then smiled. "So I'm glad you're here."

_'Oh, right... That's why I'm here,' _I remembered. "Why did they keep the Multi-Trains open out of all of the choices?"

"Something about unity," explained Nate, clearly not buying it. "Work together, meet new people, kinda like that theme of the festival."

"I see..." I turned to Hilbert. "So, wanna make it to twenty one today?" I asked, knowing that he'd accept.

Hilbert seemed pleased. "Sure. I think I'll go offensive today. Let's make it to the bosses, shall we?" He started walking away, but suddenly halted and turned around to Nate and I who were still leaning against the wall. "Just promise me you won't use earthquake again."

I chuckled as I pushed myself off the wall. "Don't worry, I don't even have Boldore with me."

Hilbert sighed with relief. "Good, because Nate's our spectator," he explained as we weaved through the crowd to the entrance of the train.

"Ah, so you're the lucky protege."

"Well, I only got my pokemon a week or two ago and I wanted to see some battling before I started off on my own," explained Nate from behind me. "Like Hilbert, I just plan to lurk about Gear Station."

"Ah. So what did you chose?" I questioned as we approached the line heading into the train.

"I didn't," he explained as we fell into line. "I got the spare starter. Apparently, all three were sent to Aspertia City and I got the unwanted one. I was on a list for getting starters and since I was alone on that list, I just got it, I suppose... It was Oshowatt by the way," he informed me. "It's alright because I wanted him anyway."

The line moved really fast and we were at the front in mere seconds. It was Hilbert whom the coachman spoke to. "Right this way, you two."

"Actually, mind if we bring someone along?" Hilbert asked while pointing to Nate. "He's not battling, nor does he have any pokemon."

The coachman looked at Nate curiously, as did I. I sent him a look as to say, "But I thought you had an Oshawott." Nate shook his head ever so slightly, and I, getting the hint, kept quiet and turned back front.

The coachman nodded. "Of course. The train is leaving shortly, so please enjoy yourself." He admitted us and held out his arm in the direction of the doorway.

Hilbert, Nate, and I filed in, with Hilbert staying by the entrance. He pointed a thumb at the closing door. "Coincidence how we make it just in time all the time, huh?"

Nate took a seat on one of the seats on our right. To the left, two people stood up and took their place on the far side of the car. Hilbert and I did the same. We all released our pokemon all at once, illuminating the car red as we all just wordlessly looked at each other. We all had cold stares, all intent on winning this battle. That was... Until my two opponents looked me in the eye and nodded.

I was confused until I realized something. _'Ginger hair... Oh man. These guys are grunts, aren't they?' _

The train started to move, and just like that, my mood sunk.

* * *

Seven wins later and we were at a resting platform. Challengers spilled out from all seven cars, all of them glum except for Nate and Hilbert who filed out after me. Unfortunately, I was unable to match their enthusiasm, knowing that Team Plasma was aboard. True, those two first challengers I saw were the only ones actually on the train, but as I looked around on the platform, I saw more and more familiar generic faces.

To make things worse, I even had to make up a story about how I caught more pokemon. I didn't have my regular team with me, and I told Hilbert all about my, "I plan for my first pokemon to be the ones to take me to the champion," thing the first time we met. He seemed convinced, at the very least.

"And finally, that makes twenty one wins!" Hilbert proclaimed as we boarded the noisy train platform. "Bring on the subway bosses!"

I couldn't help but smile at Hilbert, though. He was usually so calm and collected outside of battle and so stoic in battle, but it appears that his excitement took its toll on him. _'He must have been waiting for this moment for a really long time,' _I thought with a chuckle. "Hey, slow down champ, we still have to win fourteen more."

Hilbert looked at me with a blank face. "What?"

"Well... That was only seven wins," I informed him, mirroring his blank face.

"No," he rejected. "Those two times we met up before plus now... Twenty one."

I frowned in pity. _'Don't tell me...' _I looked over at Nate who wore the same defeated expression as I did.

Nate looked at me and pursed his lips; even though we didn't say a word to each other, it had been decided that he would be the one to break it to Hilbert. "Um... Hilbert, you have to get twenty one _straight _wins."

Hilbert wore a deadpanned expression and looked at both of us. "... What?"

"I thought you knew," I brought up, holding up a finger to signify that I was talking. "After all... Aren't you down here all the time?"

Hilbert looked to the side and scratched the back of his head, a nonchalant look on his face. "Well... I suppose since I usually do ride these trains non-stop... I've never really noticed?"

I ducked my head down a little and nudged Nate. "Some mentor, huh?" I muttered.

Nate snickered as I looked back up at Hilbert, who didn't seem to hear the comment.

"Well, unlike the other two times where I had to leave in the case of an emergency, I can go all out this time," I offered. "We'll just board the next train!" _'And hopefully there are no grunts on there to stalk us...' _I hoped. _'I should warn these two to leave. I thought I was going at this alone, but evidently the sages don't trust me.'_

Hilbert shrugged. "I suppose so..."

'_He must have really been looking forward to this.'_ I snickered under my breath, which didn't go unnoticed by Nate.

Before he could get a word in, I noticed two incredibly tall figured looming above him. Nate and I both looked up, much to the confusion of Hilbert.

"The subway bosses..." Nate observed under his breath. "What are you doing here?"

Hilbert whipped around and backed up. Nate and I stepped aside to make room for him so that he didn't bump into us.

"Well, aren't we allowed to take breaks too?" jested Emmet.

_'Or at least I think that's Emmet...' _I thought to myself unsurely. '_Emmet's the white one, right?'_

"So, we heard that the subway buster might not get his chance to battle us on the Multi-Train," Ingo pointed out. "It's a darn shame... We were looking forward to it!"

"That's practically a given," Emmet commented. "You've battled us everywhere else but here!"

"And we see that you have the same partner as you did the day we met you," Ingo observed while giving me a glance.

"Yeah... It may take some catching up, but we'll get there," Hilbert claimed confidently.

Ingo and Emmet exchanged glances before turning back to look at Hilbert and I respectively.

"Tell you what," began Emmet. "Since we're looking forward to this battle just as much as you are, we'll battle right here and now!"

It was obvious that this proposal was more directed to Hilbert. They barely knew me, after all.

Hilbert looked surprised. "For real?" he asked.

The two gave sure nods as they started to back up.

"Of course, we only have four pokemon combined with us momentarily, so it'll have to be a four on four," Ingo explained.

"Well? Do you accept our challenge?" Emmet asked?

The chattering on the train platform died down as everyone started to cast glances in our directions. We had become the center of attention. It was most likely because Ingo and Emmet didn't battle much out of their comfy subway cars.

"Yeah. I've beaten you everywhere but here!"

"You seem sure of yourself, Hilbert," Ingo warned, "but how well at battling is your partner?"

Hilbert looked to the side and muttered to himself, "Better than I am..." It was almost inaudible, so I doubt that anyone had noticed.

"What's that?" asked Emmet. "Oh, no matter. Clear the way, people! Witness the subway bosses take on the subway buster, Hilbert!"

Everyone complied eagerly, all silent in eagerness. Apparently Hilbert really was a "celebrity" down here. The odd title of "subway buster" was proof enough.

I looked around and saw that Nate had dissolved into the crowd somewhere. Despite the crowded platform, we were given enough room for a full battlefield.

"Of course this won't be an official battle, but it should make due temporarily," Ingo called out, cupping his hands over his mouth to amplify his voice.

"Got it!" Hilbert and I replied back at the same time, both of us giving stern nods.

"I call you, Haxorus!" chanted Ingo as he threw a pokeball in the air.

"And you, Elektross!"

Both pokemon appeared before us on the opposing side, the sound of Haxorus hitting the floor being the only noise on this whole platform.

_'Everyone seems really interested in this fight,' _I observed. _'I came to that conclusion a second ago, but everything's so tense now.'_

Hilbert searched through his pockets before taking out the pokemon of his choice. "Cryogonal, let's go!"

"Scraggy, let's go!" I added in quickly, hastily throwing up my pokeball so that our timing was synced.

I felt the red light of both pokemon being summoned at once warm my face, my vision red for a second.

Everyone around us was still silent, watching us in awe despite the fact that nothing happened yet. The four of us had an intense stare down before I decided that this was long winded and yelled out my commands.

"Headbutt at Elektross!" I commanded while pointing a finger at the said pokemon, even when knowing he couldn't see it.

Emmet smirked. "Gastro acid."

Elektross extended his hand, intent on releasing its attack once Scraggy was seconds away from ramming into him.

Emmet thought he had me, but it was my turn to smirk. "Crunch on his hand!"

Scraggy jumped up and did the following, growing large fangs at the same time.

Elektross writhed in agony, trying to wave Scraggy off. He wasn't thinking clearly due to the panic.

Emmet scowled. "Use thunder wave in his mouth!"

"High jump kick!"

Scraggy let go of his hold, just in time for Elektross' arm to spark all different hues of bright yellow. While Elektross was occupied, Scraggy jumped up and kicked a powerful blow in his face before he could even recover. This all happened without a second. Elektross flew back a foot or two, landing on the ground while holding his side.

"Scraggy," Scraggy sighed, unamused as he crossed his arms. While his back was to me, I could only assume that he looked incredibly bored.

"Discharge!" commanded Emmet.

Elektross floated back up and raised his arms, prepared to attack.

"Back up and sand attack!" I retorted.

Scraggy jumped back a foot or two before carelessly kicking the ground. Emmet looked confused at first, but soon, I couldn't see his face through the dust cloud that was slowly engulfing the battlefield. There were a few gasps coming from the crowd, and I thought I heard a few people coughing.

I smirked. _'Yup, that's my special sand attack,' _I thought with a chuckle. _'Maybe it doesn't work right, but it came in handy.'_

I watched in awe as the sand started cackling with volts of electricity fizzing about in the cloud, getting stuck on the small shards of sand that shouldn't be floating. It looked like some sort of messed up discolored fire. Both the sand and electricity floated upwards as they simultaneously dispersed into sparkles.

"Use blizzard while he can't see!" I heard Hilbert command through the silence.

I whipped my head to him; apparently I had been ignoring him, because I had been paying no attention to his battling whatsoever.

Hilbert looked at me and gave me a wink and a thumbs up, which I returned. I took a quick glance at Cryogonal, who seemed to have taken just as much damage as Elektross.

When the dust cloud cleared up, Haxorus was sitting by Ingo's feet.

_'Alright, just block the two of those out again,' _I told myself. _'That's when I work best.' _I took a deep breath and looked Emmet in the eye.

His glance was directed at Ingo's Haxorus, though. While Elektross didn't look near to fainting, he certainly did look like he took some damage.

I decided to take advantage of Elektross being off guard, as Emmet was distracted with Ingo's loss. "One final high jump kick!"

I saw Scraggy nod as he took to the air, nailing an unsuspecting Elektross in the face once more.

Emmet's head snapped to the body of his now fainted pokemon.

Just when I thought I had victory, Scraggy screamed out in pain as he flew into the air and fell back down, skidding back a few feet until he was before me.

My eyes narrowed in anger towards myself as I followed the direction of the attack. _'This is what I get for tuning out everything else...'_

An Excadrill was standing proudly before Ingo, a fainted Cryogonal at her feet. By the time I glanced back down at Scraggy, he was already back up, but he had definitely taken a lot of damage.

_'What move hit him..? I didn't hear, but it looks to be super effective.'_

"Aerial ace again!"

_'Oh, so an Excadrill can learn aerial ace...'_ I hastily yelled out, "Scraggy, move out of the way!" Returning him during the midst of an attack would be cheap. Once Scraggy successfully dodged, I held up my pokeball to signify that Scraggy was done. "Return!" I didn't look as Scraggy turned into light and only spent the time getting out another pokeball. I swapped them and wordlessly took out Watchog.

While Krookodile could win this, there was nothing to dig through, and earthquake would kill us all.

When I looked, Hilbert had taken out his Meinshao. Emmet had taken out an Archeops. That fact alone gave me an odd sense of deja vu, but I chose to ignore the feeling and not go in depth.

"Rock slide!" both of the bosses chanted together.

"Dodge it!" Hilbert and I belted in unison.

"Now, hypnosis!" I screeched out once the attack missed.

Watchog held up his hands and looked at both Excadrill and Archeops through the falling boulders. The numbers of boulders gradually decreased until nothing came down and both opponents fell to the ground, sleeping. Watching them gently fall down through falling boulders was like a flickering movie screen.

Hilbert and I both opened our mouths to go on, but we were stopped when both of the bosses yelped "stop!" simultaneously. Hilbert and I exchanged glances before looking at both of the bosses, confused.

"It is clear who is going to win," claimed Ingo. "With your Meinshao and our sleeping pokemon, we have not a chance."

"We are proud to announce that you have won this fight," Emmet finished with a smile.

Hilbert had a victorious smile on his face. "Finally... I'm this much closer to beating them on every train!" he told me. "Thanks." He held out his hand.

I took his hand in my grasp and we shook once, causing an eruption in cheers from the people around us. _'Is this really such a big deal for them..?' _I wondered.

When Hilbert and I turned back around, we saw that Ingo and Emmet had stepped up to congratulate us, looking down at us and giving us, or more specifically Hilbert, nods of approval. Nate had stepped up behind us to join in on the excitement. All of the empty space used for the battle was slowly being vacated by our spectators. Everyone else seemed to go back to their own business.

Or so I thought.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw about a dozen Team Plasma grunts closing in on the five of us.

_'What the heck?! When did they change into those-?!' _I pursed my lips. _'You know what? I'm not even surprised anymore.'_

They had us surrounded before I could even warn any of them.

"T-Team Plasma..?" Ingo observed.

There were gasps from Nate, Hilbert, and Emmet, who didn't seem to notice them until now. They looked around themselves with Hilbert having a hand in his pocket, prepared for a pokemon battle.

Instead, the grunts all looked at me. "We shall start on your command."

_'Oh shoot..!' _I inwardly cursed. Suddenly, there were four piercing glares in my direction. _'Why do these grunts always look to me for leadership?!'_

"Hilda... What's going on?" Hilbert asked defensively.

Finally, everyone seemed to notice the abundance of Team Plasma grunts, as everyone was looking in my direction. I noticed a few more grunts lurking about in the back of the crowds, but no one seemed to notice them.

_'There's no running from it now,'_ I realized. _'I have to out myself and go about this whole collection thing.'_ I decided to make a convincing performance, because I had no doubt in my mind that these grunts were to report directly back to Rood, or whoever was in charge of this. I looked at Hilbert giving a devious smirk. _'Hey, if I'm going to me maleficent, I might as well have fun with it,' _I told myself. _'Wow... I'm a sadistic jerk.'_

Eager eyes were piercing through me, many scared, but the four before me were filled with ire.

"I happen to be the admin of Team Plasma," I announced, looking Hilbert in the eye. I turned to Ingo and Emmet. "My mission was simply to subdue the both of you while my King defeats the gym leader, Elesa, and we take over Nimbasa City." My voice was cold and harsh. _'Oh my gosh! I sound like an actual sage! Haha! Wait...' _I glowered to myself. _'This isn't a game!' _I scolded myself. "You are to give us your pokemon, and we will liberate them."

"And what makes you think that we'll bow to you?" Ingo dared.

"I never asked for bowing," I corrected, "but I do expect you to hand in your pokemon."

Ingo and Emmet gave me dirty looks as they held up their pokeballs, one in each hand, intent to fight.

"Are you already forgetting that you lost?" I asked as four Team Plasma grunts from behind them grabbed the pokeballs from their unsuspecting hands. "Your pokemon are either fainted or asleep."

Both of their eyes grew as they looked down into their vacant hands, their heads whipping around to witness a grunt tossing his pokeballs into a metal picnic basket.

_'I might as well get Hilbert's before they do,' _I decided, hoping that I may have a chance to save his. I tapped Hilbert on the shoulder, who was watching the fate of the bosses' pokemon in disgust. One he turned to me, I opened my hand in expectancy. _'Come on, Hilbert...'_

He looked at me in pure disgust. "No! Let's battle first! If I win, all of you creeps have to get out of here!"

_'I'm classified as a creep, aren't I? Well... I deserve it.' _Instead of going with Hilbert's suggestion, I shook my head. "We both know who's going to win. Why delay your loss and torture your pokemon in the process?"

"Do as she says!" a grunt snapped from behind me.

Hilbert paused before stubbornly placing two pokeballs in my hand, giving me a look of ire.

I looked down and inspected them. _'A quick ball and a pokeball...'_ There was something about Hilbert's easy submission that I didn't find right. "You've given me empty pokeballs," I accused.

Hilbert looked surprised for a second. "You could tell..?"

I nodded. "There's a way to tell empty pokeballs from occupied ones." I lied; there wasn't unless you opened them. I just knew that there was no way Hilbert would give in that easily, and so I took a shot in the dark.

Hilbert looked down to the side and muttered profanities under his breath.

"Give her your pokemon now or we will impound you!" demanded the same grunt.

Hilbert seemed to finally give in and dropped his real pokemon in my hand. "Just so you know... This doesn't mean that I'll submit," he claimed while staring at me with a deep hatred.

The grunt from behind me ran up to me and held up the container to me. However, she wasn't looking at me. Her and Hilbert were having a stare down while Ingo and Emmet disappeared off to somewhere; perhaps they were chasing down the grunts with their pokemon.

I looked behind me to ensure that no one was watching me.

To my horror, there seemed to be more Team Plasma grunts than I had spotted earlier, as people were huddled up into miniature circles and surrounded by grunts, all of whom demanded pokemon.

I reluctantly turned away and faced the bin. _'Alright... I don't have gloves on this time, so I'm going to have to make it quick. Just make a tap sound at the bottom of the bin and pocket the pokeballs!' _I mindlessly did the actions that I just thought out and quickly retracted my hand, stuffing the pokeballs into my pocket. I looked at the grunt and Hilbert, who thankfully didn't notice.

"Hilda, you-"

I whipped my head around to the voice, cutting him off with my sudden actions.

Nate was staring at me accusingly, but there was no sign of anger whatsoever. His hands were on his hips, expecting an answer.

My eyes drifted to my side; Nate's outburst had attracted Hilbert and the female grunt as well. The rest of the grunts had apparently dispersed some time ago.

I gave Nate a hard stare, the same one he had given me, and ever so slightly shook my head.

Thankfully, he seemed to get the hint and said no more, only looking away and letting his arms fall to his side.

"Well? What about your pokemon, boy?" the grunt asked.

"This one? He doesn't have pokemon," I cut in.

The grunt looked at me suspiciously. "Of course he does... This is Gear Station!"

I mimicked her wicked look and tried to scare her into submission. "Are you questioning me? I know for a matter of fact that this boy doesn't have pokemon. That was the only way that he could come on the train and spectate my battles." I pursed my lips; this particular grunt looked familiar. "You... Aren't you the one from the first car? You should know that he couldn't have possibly had any pokemon then. He wouldn't be let on if he had pokemon but no partner."

The grunt's eyes widened. "I'm sorry for doubting you, Lady Hilda," she apologized as she bowed and fearfully scurried away.

I smirked in triumph. _'Hah! I love it when they do that.'_

Hilbert, on the other hand, was looking at me suspiciously, just as the grunt did. Was it because he knew that I knew Nate had a pokemon? Or was it just due to my given title as a "Lady"? I assumed that it was probably both.

Before he could question either, a train came rolling in, making the voices of everyone around us nearly inaudible. Out come maybe a dozen more Team Plasma grunts, followed by Rood.

I frowned. _'If there were so many grunts coming in, why was I needed here? Maybe... Were they testing me?' _Either way, I would have come here on my own accord, so I suppose that my presence was a given.

Rood came up to me. "We'll handle it from here. You are needed on the surface. Change into your uniform, for not everyone in Team Plasma knows your face."

I gave Hilbert and Nate one final glance before bowing to Rood and walking into the now empty train. I rolled my eyes once the door shut. _'Man, these guys and uniforms...'_

* * *

A train ride and one uniform change later, I started ascending the stairs of Gear Station, leaving behind the very chaotic pandemonium going on downstairs.

_'I guess there were people who just couldn't get to Anville Town in time,' _I thought with a chuckle. After that, I had to resist the urge to slap myself in the face. _'Seriously... This isn't a joke.'_

As I ascended the stairs, it got quieter and quieter, and I soon found out why; not a soul of whom was left was on the streets of Nimbasa City.

My steps got slower and slower, almost as if I expected something to jump out at me. I cautiously looked left and right once I was outside. I heard chatter in the distance, but I assumed that it was Team Plasma grunts breaking and entering into private property and terrorizing the land owners.

_'Rood said that I was needed on the surface, but... They're doing fine terrorizing innocent civilians all on their own!'_

Yet I didn't feel like I was done yet. The sky was a deeper shade of blue, but it still didn't feel that late. According to Rood, this whole invasion wouldn't have started until N was done battling Elesa, so...

_'Elesa!' _I couldn't help but wonder what she was doing at the moment, but I soon found myself running in the direction of the amusement park. The whole run must have taken a few minutes, plus my continual stopping due to me not being a runner, but other than that it seemed like a blur to me.

I didn't see anyone in the amusement park either. It seemed so lifeless, contradicting yesterday, or any other day, honestly.

I found myself panting in front of the gym. I could only hope that no one was in there besides Elesa. I opened the bulky gym doors and welcomed myself in, hoping I wasn't intruding on anything.

Elesa was standing a few feet in front of me, her back to me. However, she whipped around as quickly as she could as soon as she heard the door open. Her hands were behind her back, leading me to believe that she might have been holding something, but it could have just as easily been her body language. She seemed surprised to see me until her eyes drifted to my uniform. Then she scowled.

I frowned to myself. _'It's always the uniform...'_

"Of course..." she muttered to herself. She looked up at me. "If you want the truth, I'm not all that surprised." Her voice was indifferent, and it reflected on her face.

'_What does she mean..?' _I wondered, not liking where this was going. I felt a pit in my stomach.

"Mind I ask why you're visiting?" she asked. "You see, I have work to do. I must get to repairing the Ferris wheel, even if I can't leave the gym..." She muttered that last part to herself but made it loud enough so that I could hear it.

"Surprised of what?" I asked, ignoring her own question.

"That you're a member of Team Plasma," she pointed out. She gave my outfit a glance. "It looks like you're a special member, too. Now your actions make sense."

"What actions?" I asked again.

"Avoiding me," she put it simply with a shrug, "when you could have been telling me crucial information that could not have only saved this city, but the one below us as well. But I suppose you were never into being a hero, were you?"

"..." I didn't know what to say to that. _'Maybe if she knew why I'm wearing this uniform...'_

"Yesterday, you told me that you didn't know anything more about Team Plasma than I did," she started off. "Tell me; do you know of the Shadow Triad?"

I nodded my head, unsure of where this was going.

"That information would have been useful," she muttered, "but you were never in it to help me, were you?" Elesa sighed, finding her ramblings tedious work. "To put it simply, you've lied to me on more than one occasion, which makes me wonder, why did you alert me of the situation in smaller cities? For your own amusement? Because it sounds like something you'd do."

"Wait," I cut her off. "I'm not in Team Plasma because I want to be." This was my last ditch effort to try and get her on my side, but even as I said those words, I knew that there was no changing her mind now. _'At the very least, I have to get this out there.'_

"Oh? Do tell." Elesa didn't seem convinced, but rather curious to see what "excuse" I'd come up with. Despite her words, Elesa didn't seem angry throughout this whole exchange. Just... Defeated.

"Team Plasma has my mom and my friends," I explained. "Cheren and Bianca included." I knew that she'd never buy it, but at the very least, I had said it.

Elesa looked to the side, conflicted. When she came up with a verdict, she turned back to me. "I have no reason to believe you."

I nodded, completely expecting this outcome. _'Thought so...'_

"Though I do suppose you haven't lied about everything," she offered. Even I could tell from her tone that she was trying to mislead me. "You said you knew the King of Team Plasma. Apparently, you knew him very well."

I turned my head to the side and scratched the back of it. _'I know... He was there at the same time she was, but I couldn't tell her... Not with N there.'_

Even before N left, the Shadow Triad showed up to alert me that my "duty" of stalling N was done. They disappeared after, but I had a feeling that they didn't actually leave. I didn't want to risk any of our safeties.

I was out of words to say, not that I had many to begin with. I was angry at myself. If I had only told Elesa the minute that I saw her, _maybe _I would have her trust. It was I that was the problem.

I ruined a man's business in Accumula Town, albeit I thought he deserved it. I robbed Fennel of her precious dream mist and stopped the Striaton brothers from having a fighting chance. Lenora's gym would've been ransacked either way, but if it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have been separated from her husband, so I was to blame. I destroyed Burgh's gym.

Team Plasma was the problem, but I was a part of it.

I would've called myself out on all of the cheesy thoughts I was having, but the fact that this wasn't a joke finally seemed to settle in. I didn't at all blame Elesa, and I wasn't going to fight for her trust when I didn't deserve it. I felt her icy glare on me even as I left the gym, my head held high. Dodging the truth wasn't going to be a mistake I made again.

"Though Team Plasma... They're cocky," she rambled on as I left. "Taking over Nimbasa City right after such a large one like Castelia..?"

And her voice faded away as I closed the door.

* * *

Once I left the gym, I found myself with nothing to do.

Leaving early would be suicidal, yet there still wasn't anyone around, or at least in the amusement park. I decided to take a walk, yet with no set destination. I was only walking around, thinking about what happened in Castelia City and what happened today. Not too soon after, I found myself looking up at the Ferris Wheel.

_'This thing broke, right?' _I looked up at it. '_I never would have guessed.' _

The Ferris Wheel cars were just as we left them. The bottom one was still open, too. I had the strange urge to go inside, but I didn't.

_'I wonder what N was doing,' _I thought to myself. _'I fell asleep on the way down.'_

Speaking of N... Where was he now? He defeated Elesa, but did he go anywhere else after? What did he do in his free time anyway?

After a while of me just staring at the Ferris wheel with nothing better to do, people did start coming out again, a mix of Team Plasma grunts and people, but I couldn't help but wonder why the number of people were so scarce. True, I did see a lot of people trying to escape to Anville Town, but that couldn't be the whole city's population. Maybe some people left yesterday, or even this morning.

_'Running from your problems won't get you anywhere,' _I decided as I looked down, walking away from the Ferris wheel. _'Move away, but Team Plasma's only gonna catch up with you.' _I froze at my own thoughts, even halting.

Did I really believe that Team Plasma was going to win?

Mass pokemon liberation wasn't something I could handle. It may not have been my fault, but doing nothing wouldn't sit right with me.

It was then that I realized that I have done nothing to stop them. I realized before that same thing before and decided to try harder, but it appears that the thought slipped my mind. I clenched down on my teeth. _'Is there anything I can do right?'_

"Hilda, there you are!" a familiar voice called out from some distance away.

My head snapped up in a somewhat uncaring fashion.

I saw Nate running in my direction. No, to say he was running was understating it. He was _charging _at me. When he finally caught up to me, he skidded to a halt with his hands on his knees, panting. "I've been looking for you since we got out of Gear Station..!" he claimed.

I raised my eyebrow. "And why is that?"

Nate exhaled once and regained his posture. He put his hands on his hips and gave me a hard stare. "You know why!"

I crossed my arms and looked both ways. There weren't many people out. _'Well, I still can't give him Hilbert's pokemon in the open. I don't see anyone around eavesdropping, but still...' _It was best to play it safe. "We barely know each other, so why would you come looking for me?

Nate tapped his foot. He was getting impatient. "I would have thought that you were looting his pokemon if you didn't-"

_'Oh my goodness, please be quiet.' _I gave him an intensive stare of my own, cutting him off.

Nate pursed his lips in confusion, crossing his arms. He was waiting for an explanation.

_'I did say that I wouldn't dodge the truth anymore,' _I reminded myself. _'If I lie to Nate, it may make his situation worse than it already is.' _I leaned in a little and muttered, "Not here."

Nate took a cautious step back when I leaned in, but once he heard my words, he gave a nod of understanding. "I'm not leaving until you give me an answer, though," he claimed, letting his arms drop to his sides.

"I don't want to explain this more than once, so where's Hilbert?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

"Still sulking around Gear Station," Nate explained.

"That doesn't sound like him," I pointed out, somewhat confused of his actions. "I mean, just sulking around," I clarified.

Nate leaned in and kept his voice low. "Everyone was ushered out of Gear Station, except for Team Plasma of course," he explained. "First, he wants to see what they're doing. Then, he's waiting until a grunt is distracted. He wants to get to one of the PC boxes, take his pokemon, and make a run for it."

"And that sounds like him."

If Nate was telling me all of this, it meant that he didn't believe I would take any action. "I tried to convince him to go for the Pokemon Center, but he didn't listen." Nate looked to the side. "But it's a good thing he didn't. That place is loaded with grunts."

"I'm surprised you didn't stay down with him," I commented. "Aren't you his 'protege' or something?"

Nate didn't seem to like my choice of words but didn't voice his complaints. "Well, I had to find you. I needed to confirm something."

I looked at him quizzically before deciding to drop it. "How long has Hilbert been down there?"

Nate pursed his lips. "Not _too _long, but I doubt he's going to get that opening he's looking for."

I nodded in understanding. "Right. Lead the way."

* * *

We went back to Gear Station, only for Nate to be stopped by a grunt. Apparently, they were doing something downstairs in which people weren't allowed to see. However, I showed up from behind him, and he willingly let us through.

"So do you get to pull rank on everybody?" asked Nate as we trekked down the stairs of Gear Station.

I shrugged. "On grunts, yes, but no one higher than that. They all hate my guts."

"Ah," mused Nate as we finished descending the stairs.

Quite frankly, I didn't know what that grunt was talking about; there wasn't a soul in sight. Evidently, Nate came up with the same deduction as his head was cocked to the side in confusion.

"I don't get it... What are they up to?" he asked.

Just to prove how empty the place was, Nate's voice echoed, softly ringing in my ears even after he was done.

"I don't know, but keep quiet just in case," I warned him as we took careful steps around the room. "Where was he last?" I asked in a hushed tone.

"Last I checked, he stayed behind in the Multi-Train lot after we were ushered out," Nate recalled quietly, walking towards the Multi-Train platform. "He jumped over the counter and ducked."

There was a light tapping sound coming from the tunnel to the Multi-Train entrance. I probably wouldn't have heard it if this place wasn't so empty.

"I hear something coming from there," I said as we got closer. When we were at the mouth of the entrance, the noise stopped.

"It stopped..." Nate observed as he walked into the entryway. He looked around for a few seconds before shrugging to himself. "I guess he's not here."

"Nate..?" It was clearly Hilbert's voice, but he wasn't in sight until moments later when he stood up and walked out from the side of the PC next to the counter. He looked confused, until he saw me.

"Let me explain first," I said hurriedly as I put up my hands in mock defense, walking over to Nate.

"Did you bring her here?" questioned Hilbert, looking at Nate.

Nate looked to the side and scratched his head. "Well, yeah... But I trust her."

I raised my eyebrow. _'He trusts me despite earlier? Let alone the fact that we don't know each other.'_

Nate looked at me. "You have them, don't you?"

_'Have what? Oh... He must be talking about the pokemon.'_ I nodded and searched through my bag. _'I put it somewhere here when I changed...' _"Ah... Found them," I declared as I took Hilbert's pokemon from out of my bag.

"Those are my pokeballs..." Hilbert observed. He looked conflicted. It was as if he was deciding if he would trust me or not. "Why do you have them?"

"To return them to you," I put it simply holding them out for him.

"I knew it..." Nate muttered to himself. "So when you didn't tell the grunt about my Oshawott, there wasn't a catch."

I nodded to Nate. "I hardly believe in Team Plasma's ideals. If you want the truth, I believe in the bonds of pokemon and trainers." _'Though, lately I've been becoming more skeptical... I still hold strong on my beliefs, though.'_

Hilbert looked skeptical and cautiously took back his pokemon, eyeing the familiar pokeball and quick ball. "Then why are you wearing... _That_?"

I chuckled for a second and followed up with a shrug. "I didn't have a choice."

"But if you don't believe in Team Plasma, why are you a high-ranker?" Nate chimed in.

"Well first... To take Team Plasma down from the inside," I admitted reluctantly. "Also... I didn't have a choice."

Nate pursed his lips, urging me to explain.

Before I could explain, Hilbert outed an inquiry of his own. "How did you know my pokeballs were empty earlier?"

"I didn't," I admitted with a shrug. "It was just a guess. I did the same thing when my town was taken over by Team Plasma."

Nate seemed to catch on. "So... You're from either Accumula or Nuvema then?"

I nodded. "Nuvema."

"You said you didn't have a choice in joining Team Plasma," begun Nate, "and your town was taken over by them... Do they force trainers to work for them?"

I shook my head. "No, but once a town or city is taken over, the option is there."

"So then how did you not have a choice?"

I looked behind me to ensure that there were no eavesdroppers. I probably should have done this earlier, but the thought only occurred to me now. I sighed and crossed my arms, preparing myself for another explanation. "Some time after the raid in Nuvema, I heard a pokemon crying in the woods. I found him and nursed him back to health."

"Whose pokemon was it?" inquired Nate, his hands on his hips. He was acting as if my small story was some kind of detective work.

"The King of Team Plasma's," I explained.

Hilbert looked mildly surprised. "So what? He coaxed you to join?"

"And what kind of leader calls himself a 'King'?"

"He asked me to," I answered, ignoring Nate. "You see, I denied both of his initial requests, but I was going to join eventually. Like I said, I wanted to take Team Plasma down from the inside. But before that..." I pursed my lips, remembering Bianca and Cheren lose to N so easily. "I wasn't the only one that got away with keeping pokemon. My friends did too, but they were found out."

"And this is relevant how?" asked Nate.

"You know what a sage is, right?" I asked. "Remember that guy in the brown robes and puffy hat? Well, there are seven of them, and there's a head sage."

Hilbert nodded. "So the head sage did something, then."

I nodded. "For their apparent treason, my friends were detained. The head sage blackmailed me; join Team Plasma, or something horrid would happen to them."

Hilbert looked at me somewhat sympathetically. "And that's why you're with Team Plasma."

"Well, ignoring the fact that I'm killing them from the inside, yeah," I confirmed.

"Well, you know who the King is... Can't you just take him down?" asked Hilbert.

I shook my head. "I can't go too out of line... They have my mother, too, but I can't make a plan until I find out about my other friends' whereabouts." I realized that I forgot to mention something. "By the way, he has _the _Zekrom."

Hilbert and Nate both looked bewildered, exchanging glances of disbelief. This went on for a few seconds.

"Who is he anyway?" Hilbert pried once he recovered.

"His name's N," I replied. "You actually met him, I think... He was that guy with the green hair I was with yesterday."

Hilbert looked somewhat uncomfortable. "That was him..? Why were you two in together yesterday?"

I shrugged. "To keep him out of Castelia City... With all that fighting going on, I was put on babysitting duty." _'Now that I think about it... Maybe they wanted him out of the city so he wouldn't fall asleep. Skyla said something about sleeping, right? But still, it's pretty simple to just warn him not to wander into the city.'_

Nate took a glance at Hilbert before addressing me. "You're planning to take down Team Plasma from the inside?" inquired Nate, changing the topic. "All alone?"

I shook my head. "I'm all alone in Team Plasma, but not as a resistance. I've got a few gym leaders and trainers on my side, all of whom I've returned their pokemon to."

Nate looked to the side for a second before looking at me dead in the eye. "Can I join in then too?"

I blinked. "You want to help?"

Nate nodded. "If I have the power to help stop these terrorists who ruined my home city, I wouldn't feel right about myself if I just did nothing," he claimed. "By the way... You protected my Oshawott. I'm indebted to you, in some sort of messed up way."

"Then count me in, too," Hilbert chimed in. He looked behind him and towards the PC. "I couldn't get that thing to work, so I couldn't get my pokemon... The reason why I wanted them was to fight Team Plasma," he explained, turning back around. "Two may not be the greatest start, but I'm just as determined as you are."

"But even after what I did?" I asked unsurely. "Sure, I saved two of your pokemon, but still. Whether or not I did _one _good deed, I'm still helping with the greatest plague of all." _'I don't want to mislead them like I did with Elesa...'_

"Which you're helping to stop," Nate corrected me, holding up his pointer finger.

Hilbert laid a hand on my shoulder and looked at me reassuringly. "Hey, we're partners. Count me in."

A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth and I nodded. "Right. But just so you know, you aren't obligated," I informed him as he removed his hand from my shoulder.

Nate stood next to Hilbert and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him down to his height. "Just call us the rabid Hilda fanboys," he declared, gesturing proudly to both himself and a now somewhat uncomfortable Hilbert.

I smiled from ear to ear, suppressing a laugh. "Well! Come on, fan club! We don't have to lurk down here all day," I said as I ushered them out of the tunnel.

When we first left the tunnel, the only sound was the sound of our shoes hitting the stone ground. After a few seconds, there was a faint humming sound. We only heard it due to it echoing in the deserted subway station.

"What's that..?" questioned Nate in a hushed tone. "It sounds like a train..."

The sound seemed to get suddenly louder, causing all of us to halt at once. We exchanged cautious glances before scurrying to the massive column in the middle of the room, our backs to it.

"I suppose they really were doing something, then," Nate pointed out, "but what?"

I held up a hand to quiet him and tried to look past the column without outing my position. I probably had no reason to hide, but since I was with Nate and Hilbert, I had to.

The sound suddenly stopped, followed by the sounds of numerous footsteps.

The three of us looked at each other cautiously, deciding to see what was going on despite the fact that no words were said. We crept around the column, circumventing it, until Nate, who was leading, stopped short. Hilbert and I huddled behind him, looking over his shoulders. We just barely saw the white-clothed backs of people filing out of the tunnel outlined in red. They were carrying metal boxes. Though we couldn't see their front sides, it was easy to assume that these were Team Plasma grunts.

"Hey... Isn't that the train to Anville Town?" Hilbert pointed out, keeping his voice at a low.

"It is, isn't it..." Nate muttered.

"And by the looks of it, they were successful," I added in, noting the many metal containers. My eyes narrowed, acknowledging the direness of the situation. "A town and a city within the same afternoon... Team Plasma's pretty cocky."

* * *

We had to hide out for a while before Team Plasma finally cleared. When they finally did, we left Gear Station and said our goodbyes, all of us returning to our respective homes.

It was a pretty serene ride home through the dark night, but it wasn't so dark that I couldn't see anything. I basically went through the routine of flying back with Zubat, thanking him, and returning him to his pokeball. I opened the door and welcomed myself in, embracing the somewhat cooler temperature of my living room.

I turned around to close the door, but I heard footsteps behind me.

I whipped around with my guard up, stuffing my hand in my bag, ready for a pokemon battle if it was necessary.

Beforeme stood Rood, looking indifferent. He only stared at me, waiting for me to get over my shock.

_'Why does everyone think they live here?!' _I thought, taking my hand out of my bag when I saw that there was no real threat. '_But... Why is he here..? How long has he been here?!'_ I started to feel a little defensive under his glare, but I realized that I forgot to bow. "Lord Rood," I greeted while bowing. "What brings you here?"

"I have a favor to ask of you."

* * *

**Chapter 20 : End**

* * *

I hate this chapter above all, but all of you know my usual complaints, and since people keep telling me otherwise, I'm just gonna stop writing my opinions XD I was trying to catch the emptiness of Nimbasa City, but... Meh. (This chapter actually is under consideration for re-writing, depending on how fast I can get it done)

The poll for Nate and Rosa ended in a tie, so I decided to make Rosa the winner for two reasons. 1) She was winning first and Nate's votes were never ahead of her. 2) I already started the chapter as if she won ._. (Because people didn't start voting "Nate" until halfway through writing this chapter). The reason Nate shows up is if Rosa's the main protagonist of BW2, she'd be in Aspertia while Nate would be in Nimbasa, joining her for the Multi-Train.

Originally, Hilda was supposed to tell Bianca's parents of Bianca's fate, but I didn't really write it that well, so I just left it out. I guess they'll never know, haha.

And I'd like to ask you guys of something. As you've seen, I don't exactly write out pokemon battles that well, or at the very least I don't pace them that well. They're supposed to be fast and spontaneous, but I spend all of this time elaborating small details. I could leave them out, but that just leaves out characterization. So do you think in future chapters I should just leave out pokemon battles and just have some sort of summary of what happened?

And sorry for the short chapter, but I've been pretty busy. I was surprised I could get even this out. Don't expect an update until maybe a week or two, because I can't start writing until after Monday due to some personal stuff. Thought I might give a heads up... Sorry.

By the way, this isn't really a cliffhanger ending, so don't worry. It seems like one, but it's really not.

I'd also like to point out that no one knows that N is the King of Team Plasma or that Hilda is its admin unless the person is either in a conquered location or a part of Team Plasma, with a few exceptions of course.

* * *

PikaScootaloo : That was my intention, so it's good to see that you saw it that way. And I hope you don't mind if I use those Nate and Rosa nicknames in the future, because they made me die of laughter. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

KawaiiJoltic : Thanks, it's always nice to hear your feedback. And yes, they do XD I didn't actually say its name, but I thought people could figure out what it was. But as of now, I don't think Keldeo will make an appearance (unless I can find a way to fit it in there). Thanks for reviewing, as always. (And seriously, would it kill you to forget the "thanks"?)

Sega Nesquik : Yeah, I guess so. Maybe "brilliant" is overshooting it a little, but I'm happy that you like it. Thanks for the vote. Oh, and for reviewing, it really does mean a lot.

Miaomii : Well, I could go on a rant about how I think it's a bad chapter, but I don't think you'd read it XD I wasn't sure about how I linked up everything together, but thanks for assuring me that you liked it. Vote acknowledged, and thanks for reading and reviewing.

Javalorena : Shadow Triad following her, but you knew that after reading this, haha. Maybe not soon, but since everyone reading has played the games, it's painfully obvious that she's going to vindicate herself eventually XD And seriously, there is nothing wrong with how you write. Nothing's out of order and I don't see how it sounds weird. Vote acknowledged, and gosh, Nate's votes spiked up this chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Sorry that the update might take a while ._.'

DigimonLoveForever : Yup, sorry it took so long. And yes, that is the Light Stone. Yeah, sorry for the repeat-like chapter. I wanted to get some extra info in there, but it was a bit long-winded. Thanks for the feedback, and I hope I don't take too long on the next chapter.

Coclea : Yup, she does, but she isn't a hero so oh well XD And Hilda's starting to become truthful, but not quite there yet.  
And yeah, N doesn't have many people or opportunities to talk about himself (or so I'd imagine) so that scene was really nice to write too. I'm pretty excited to write it in his POV when he gets his own mini-arc later on. "I feel bad for him cause he thinks they are friends and Hilda just wants to protect her mother and her real friends xD." LOL, I think I died of laughter, even though it shouldn't be that funny XD If it helps, he doesn't exactly see her as a friend yet, and vice versa, but they're getting there. The Ferris wheel was kinda like a kick starter. I never exactly wrote this out, but whenever Hilda feels "uneasy," it's like her sixth sense detecting that people are watching her. Sometimes she acknowledges it, sometimes she doesn't, but those people are the Shadow Triad. Whenever she feels relieved, they left (if the words "uneasy" were used some time prior).  
And good to know that people actually liked Hilbert's appearance.  
And good for you that he didn't take it too hard. I guess firing a family member really works XD  
Vote acknowledged, and sorry for writing so much ._. Thanks for reading my stories and reviewing.


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